Health and Wellness > Health Services & Corporate Communications

ODS

THE BLOC, New York / WASHINGTON HEIGHTS CORNER PROJECT / 2020

Awards:

Shortlisted Cannes Lions
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Overview

Credits

OVERVIEW

Background

Founded in 2015, the Washington Heights CORNER Project is a Public Health facility created to provide safe injection sites to the community. Every day more than 130 Americans die from opioid overdoses. Most of these users were prescribed opioids and then fell into heroin addiction. The most common cause of death—contaminated drugs. To maximize profits, drug dealers lace their supply with lethal

contaminants like fentanyl, carfentanil, and benzodiazepines.

Describe the creative idea

The Overdose Stopper is the first-ever syringe with a built-in detection system for dangerous contaminants, turning the very object that was delivering death by overdose into a life-saving device. Fentanyl test strips have existed for years. But users refuse to use them because they add another step to the process of getting their hit. And they can only detect fentanyl. When a drug user draws a lethal dose into the Overdose Stopper, a reagent patch changes color to inform the user of any contaminant. A sticker on the syringe asks users to Look Before You Shoot—a moment’s pause with the potential to save thousands.

Describe the final product

In partnership with Washington Heights Corner Project, one of New York’s leading harm reduction organizations, we are working rapidly with syringe manufacturers to outline the FDA approvals process toward implementing our application machine. The goal is to start saving lives from overdose within the next 18 months (under FDA's expedited approval process for life-saving devices).

List the results

We've had 7 fully functioning successful prototypes in the first "trial phase" of the product, proving it's efficacy. We are working rapidly with syringe manufacturers to outline the FDA approvals process toward implementing our application machine in large scale. The goal is to start saving lives from overdose within the next 18 months (under FDA's expedited approval process for life-saving devices).

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