Concurrent Session 3B: Innovations in Drug Checking for Harm Reduction and Public Health: International Approaches
Tracks
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| Thursday, October 8, 2026 |
| 11:15 AM - 12:15 PM |
| Nadir |
Details
In this session, we aim for attendees to learn about:
1) the benefits and challenges associated with various in the moment drug checking technologies used on-site, including FTIR spectroscopy, fluoroscopy, portable spectrometers, immunoassay test strips, and reagents.
2) strategies to learn about the illicit drug supply in settings where drug use and possession are criminalised (and remaining challenges even in
environments with more decriminalisation), and how various drug checking program navigate their relationships with law enforcement.
3) approaches to cultivate expertise of people with lived and living experience of drug use in programme development and implementation.
4) public health and clinical insights from drug checking programs around the world.
5) funding and leadership models.
Speaker
Dr. Chelsea Shover-Darling
Associate Professor-in-Residence
University Of California Los Angeles
Introduction to drug checking around the world
11:15 AM - 11:20 AMBiography
Morgan Godvin
Researcher
University of California Los Angeles
Empowering lived experience to build programmes and drive research
11:20 AM - 11:25 AMBiography
Miss Amanda Cowan
Executive Director
Community Health Project Los Angeles
Integrating drug checking into services at SSP
11:25 AM - 11:30 AMBiography
Dr. Pieter Oomen
Researcher
Trimbos Institute
Insights from 35 years of the Netherlands nationwide Drugs Information Monitoring System
11:30 AM - 11:35 AMBiography
Mrs Katri Abel-Ollo
Researcher
National Institute For Health Development
Testing used syringes to track evolution of synthetic opioid markets
11:35 AM - 11:40 AMBiography
Katri Abel-Ollo (MScPH) currently works at the Estonian National Institute for Health Development in the department for drugs and addictions as a researcher and the leader of the thematic field. She is also the head of Estonian focal point for the EUDA. She is leading several monitoring and research projects on the field of drug use. Her main areas of research have been risk behavior studies of people who inject drugs, syringe residue study, wastewater studies on drugs as well as mapping and quality assessment of prevention, harm reduction, addiction treatment and rehabilitation services. Over the years she has been involved with drafting many strategical documents on the field of drugs and infectious diseases.
Dr. Chelsea Shover-Darling
Associate Professor-in-Residence
University Of California Los Angeles
Novel technology for point-of-service drug checking
11:40 AM - 11:45 AMBiography
Mrs Lydia Plant
Ceo
Bristol Drugs Project
Designing drug checking services for the U.K.
11:45 AM - 11:50 AMBiography
Mrs Katri Abel-Ollo
Researcher
National Institute For Health Development
Panel Discussion
11:50 AM - 12:10 PMBiography
Katri Abel-Ollo (MScPH) currently works at the Estonian National Institute for Health Development in the department for drugs and addictions as a researcher and the leader of the thematic field. She is also the head of Estonian focal point for the EUDA. She is leading several monitoring and research projects on the field of drug use. Her main areas of research have been risk behavior studies of people who inject drugs, syringe residue study, wastewater studies on drugs as well as mapping and quality assessment of prevention, harm reduction, addiction treatment and rehabilitation services. Over the years she has been involved with drafting many strategical documents on the field of drugs and infectious diseases.
Miss Amanda Cowan
Executive Director
Community Health Project Los Angeles
Panel Discussion
11:50 AM - 12:10 PMBiography
Morgan Godvin
Researcher
University of California Los Angeles
Panel Discussion
11:50 AM - 12:10 PMBiography
Dr. Pieter Oomen
Researcher
Trimbos Institute
Panel Discussion
11:50 AM - 12:10 PMBiography
Dr. Chelsea Shover-Darling
Associate Professor-in-Residence
University Of California Los Angeles
Panel Discussion
11:50 AM - 12:10 PMBiography
INHSU 2026
Q&A
12:10 PM - 12:15 PMBiography
Chairperson
Chelsea Shover-Darling
Associate Professor-in-Residence
University Of California Los Angeles
