Thread by @DrMJIggy

A moment of #ShamelessSelfpromoFriday : I’ve been selected as a finalist for this years VGH/BMO Innovator’s Challenge with my team for developing a novel opioid analyzer.

1/

Last year, BC experienced the highest rates of #opioid #overdose fatalities ever recorded in history, with the highest rates of death in Canada. #OUD can be treated with #HarmReduction strategies, therapy, and partnering with patients to meet their goals and priorities.

2/

Medications such as opioid agonist therapy (OAT) can be part of the treatment plan for some or many patients with OUD.

3/

One challenge, for patients and loved ones, can be the lengthy timeline to treat OUD with effective doses of OAT medications (ie. #Methadone, #Suboxone or Kadian). Many patients drop out of treatment due to these delays or die using an illicit drug supply.

4/

We believe our device, which uses salivary samples to provide point of care data regarding physiological opioid level, will allow us to determine tolerance and pair this with an effective dose of OAT safely and quickly, reducing this high risk tx phase.

5/

The pitch for our device will be revealed on May 6 at the VGH Foundation/ BMO Capital Markets Innovators Challenge. We welcome all support and encourage registration for the event (before May 3).

6/

7/ I’m attaching the link for FREE registration:

vghfoundation.ca/signature-even…

And the link for our project:

vghfoundation.ca/clinical-appli…

We would appreciate your support, vote, and general interest. We believe that our device has the possibility to provide a critical push towards solving the opioid overdose crisis. Thanks in advance for your support, and more importantly for joining us in saving lives.

8/

@VGHFdn @BMO @VCHResearch @AddictionThat @rjelefante @DzungXVo @ACDResearch @DrPsychMD @tylerblack32 @DrKMSimon @leyde_sarah @JenniferLeahMD @DrJessIsomMDMPH @DrSarahWakeman @DrAyanaJordan @KMsob @ChaseTMAnderson @DoctorsOfBC @drmattchow @DrJimmy_TeenDoc @james4894 @DrJSPotter

@DrDeanElbe @LilyB_MD @Paxbach @magdakaz13 @maya_igna @KohlitzP @CAP_MSR @nicholaschadi @drjessigold @ggeureka @DrScottHadland @Janellehettick @HarvardHealth @BCChildrensHosp @ToEndAddiction @DGlaucomflecken @UCSFHospitals @NIH @KatharineSmart @AdityaKalakonda @thleenr

@ddlovato @do_less_harm @NIDAnews @ProgramReach @RealDoctorMike

Please feel free to retweet and share widely! Thanks again for the like and retweet!