VR, AI and wearable tech in pilot scheme to cut drug deaths
Government awards some £12m for tech projects across the UK to find ways to support people with drug additions, reduce drug-related deaths and improve outcomes.
There’s an adage in medicine that prevention is better than cure. With mounting pressures on the NHS, the government is seeking to put that principle firmly into practice by funding high-tech initiatives to tackle drug addition proactively.
Photo by Martin Sanchez
The Addiction Healthcare Goals programme, run by the Office for Life Sciences (OLS), is providing around £12m to 11 tech-based projects across eight UK organisations. The qualifying projects have been selected as part of the Reducing Drug Deaths Challenge and the NIHR i4i Addiction: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards, run in partnership with the Scottish Government and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The selected projects include PneumoWave ALERT, which involves a chest-worn sensor to monitor breathing paired to a mobile device that, in the event of detecting an overdose, immediately alerts nearby antidote carriers and emergency services. The system ais to ensure that potentially life-saving treatment is received as soon as possible.
Another project will explore the use of virtual reality (VR) to help users overcome the triggers for cocaine addiction. They’ll be assessed by using watch-like devices that measure physical changes to the body in an effort to better understand the environmental cues that lead to drug cravings. VR will then be used to create realistic situations in which users can be repeatedly exposed to such triggers in a safe, secure environment – and so overcome them.
Existing research already shows that this kind of cue exposure treatment (CET) can significantly reduce levels of cravings and relapse among alcoholics. The new initiative will be the first to explore in depth the potential of CET in cocaine addiction.
The funding will also support research to improve accessibility to the life-saving drug naloxone, which rapidly reverses heroin and opioid overdose. The issue is not that the emergency medicine drug isn’t already available but the form in which it is typically supplied: as an injection or nasal spray which has limited application in cases of overdoes and can’t always be used in time. King’s College London is exploring the potential of naloxone wafers which melt in the mouth and provide rapid. The wafers can also fit in a wallet or purse, so can be easily and safely carried by the user.
Another project to receiving funding is ‘Saving Sam’, which involves a wristband to monitor vital signs such as blood oxygen levels, heart rate and body temperature. Where an overdose is suspected, the device alerts a trusted contact. The Saving Sam initiative is being run by the University of Edinburgh and NHS Fife – one of several of the projects based in Scotland, which has the highest rate of drug deaths in Europe.
If shown to be effective, the tech being explored through this new funding could be rolled out more widely across the UK. As well as help addicts and their families, and addressing pressures on the NHS, the aim of the new funding is to help establish the UK as a global leader in innovative treatments and technologies. It also backs what the government refers to as its ‘UK growth mission’ by inspiring healthcare companies to invest in the UK at the same time as supporting people back into stable work.
Andrew Gwynne MP, Minister for Public Health and Prevention, says: ‘Drug addiction devastates lives and rips apart families, and this government is committed to gripping this problem. We’re determined to harness the full potential of cutting-edge technology to save thousands of lives across the country. I want the UK to lead the way in championing innovation to end the harmful effects of addiction.’
Lord Vallance, Minister for Science, adds: ‘The UK’s life sciences sector plays a critical role in finding new ways to tackle the biggest challenges facing healthcare, including the devastating impact of addiction. The Addiction Healthcare Goals programme is testament to our commitment to bringing together researchers, clinicians and innovators to create real change.
‘From wearable technology to AI-powered tools, these innovative projects highlight the power of collaboration in delivering life-saving treatments. By investing in these partnerships, we are tackling addiction head on and ensuring that cutting-edge science reaches those who need it most, improving public health across the UK.’
Professor Mike Lewis, Scientific Director for Innovation at NIHR, says: ‘Innovation in managing addiction is needed to break the pattern of prison relapse and rebound and the wider impacts of addiction on society. Through the NIHR i4i Addiction: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards, successful projects have been awarded funding to develop approaches to improve treatment and recovery outcomes. Interventions, including AI, that allow management in the community need this research to validate their potential so we can implement them at scale.’
Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Chief Scientific Advisor for Health, Scottish Government, adds: ‘Tackling drug-related deaths is a priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland and we are committed to tackling these issues through targeted research, innovation and support. As part of phase 2 of the Reducing Drug Deaths Innovation Competition, funding has been awarded to develop seven prototypes aimed at reducing drug deaths.
‘These innovative solutions include wearable sensors, digital monitoring and alert applications as well as novel antidote delivery systems. By harnessing the expertise we have in Scotland and across the rest of the UK, we can continue to develop new technologies to drive prevention initiatives.’
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