Robert Fisher
Staff Reporter
PEMBROKE – Deputy Chief of Emergency Services, Nick LeRiche, spoke to Committee of the Whole, Health for the County of Renfrew about a proposed initiative to participate in a drug analysis project at the Mar 12 meeting.
The project is being run by Western University and a company called Scatr Inc. The project, titled, Leading the Way: People with Living and Lived Experience at the Forefront of Drug-checking Initiative, uses mobile drug analysis machines to help paramedics know what components are in drugs a patient has taken to better inform care and treatment. Scatr won a federal competition in 2021 for its technology and was awarded $1 million.
The Government of Canada notes, in its announcement of the award that, “The majority of overdoses are accidental and often happen because the dose, quality and composition of the substance used are unknown and in many cases deadly.”
“This is an exciting initiative (and) partnership,” LeRiche began, “to not only providing our paramedics with the ability to have real-time drug information and influencing treatment plans, it would be one of 12 drug-testing units in Ontario that provide 15-minute results immediately.” The information would also be helpful for individuals and communities which are dealing with substance use and addiction issues. The data can also, “provide public health and the research team with predictability models on the drugs in the community.”
Coun. Gary Serviss asked for clarification on training and rollout of the device. LeRiche replied that training is co-ordinated through Western University, that “specific paramedics” will be trained and the department is working with the university to determine how the unit will be distributed throughout the county.
The deputy said, in response to a question from Coun. Rob Weir, that data will be shared with the public health unit for trend analysis. Weir followed up to ask if data would be shared with law enforcement for their investigative use. LeRiche could not answer how Western University will or will not share the data with law enforcement.
Council approved signing of the agreement for the project.
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