Wearable naloxone auto-injector prototype tested in Vancouver

Researchers have developed a wearable naloxone injector that delivers naloxone when it detects the wearer has stopped moving and breathing. It was tested on volunteers at a supervised injection site in Vancouver. The device is worn on the stomach like an insulin pump. It can also transmit data about breathing rates to a smartphone via Bluetooth. The scientists from the University of Washington who developed the prototype said the device could complement current harm-reduction strategies and save lives when overdoses are not witnessed. “This wearable auto-injector may have the potential to reduce fatalities due to opioid overdoses,” said Shyam Gollakota, co-author of the study and a University of Washington professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering. “We are hopeful it can have a tangible impact on a big source of suffering in this country.” The device includes a sensor patch with two accelerometers that measure motion, similar to those found in smartphones and fitness trackers. The researchers designed algorithms to measure both overall body motion and motion during respiration. When breathing motion and overall motion ceases, as it would during an overdose, the injector device delivers naloxone subcutaneously. The researchers tested the prototype's ability to measure breathing on 25 volunteers at a supervised injection site in Vancouver. The sensors were able to accurately track respiration rates, even in two cases where breathing rates decreased after opioid use, a common breathing pattern seen prior to a potentially fatal overdose. The researchers conducted a second clinical test a hospital setting where 20 healthy volunteers simulated an overdose by holding their breath for 15 seconds. The device successfully delivered 1.2 mg naloxone to the study participants when it detected that breathing and other motion had stopped. Blood tests confirmed that the naloxone had been injected. The researchers said that further studies are needed to evaluate how comfortable it is to wear the device over long time periods. The device's ability to administer naloxone has to be studied in a population at risk for opioid overdose. The paper was published in a recent issue of Scientific Reports. Read: Alberta doctors call for more drug use sites to reduce strain on acute care resources

Wearable naloxone auto-injector prototype tested in Vancouver

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