The UK is offering £20 million through Innovate UK to develop medicines, devices and digital tools for drug and alcohol addiction. Awards range up to £10 million for late-stage projects and up to £1.5 million for earlier-stage innovations, with applications closing on 6 May 2026.
Officials in Kentucky, the Carolinas and Tennessee are warning about cychlorphine, a synthetic opioid reportedly up to 10 times stronger than fentanyl. Authorities say it has been tied to overdose deaths and may require more Narcan to reverse overdoses.
Knox County officials are seeking restrictions on cychlorphine after the synthetic opioid was detected in 41 overdose deaths in and around Knox County. The drug is described as extremely potent, not detectable through most test kits, and may require repeated naloxone doses in an overdose.
New Zealand police arrested 11 people and seized drugs, cash, and firearms after uncovering a dark web drug import network, while Canadian police made a separate bust seizing cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. The New Zealand operation involved international cooperation and intercepted over 200kg of drugs at borders. The busts come as New Zealand data shows record-breaking cocaine consumption nationwide.
DEA and New York authorities seized over 8,800 counterfeit fentanyl pills and 891 grams of cocaine in Brooklyn, arresting one suspect. In a separate operation, agents recovered 20 pounds of methamphetamine and $50,000 in cash. The busts are part of efforts to disrupt synthetic drug shipments into New York City.
U.S. overdose deaths declined 19% year-over-year to 72,108 for the 12 months ending September 2025, but the drug market is evolving with dangerous polydrug cocktails like "pink cocaine" and "rhino tranq" that are harder to detect and reverse. These synthetic blends combine fentanyl with stimulants, sedatives, and veterinary tranquilizers, creating new public health challenges as naloxone becomes less effective against complex overdoses.
British Columbia recorded 1,826 unregulated drug toxicity deaths in 2025, a 21% decrease from 2024. New research links the decline to decreasing fentanyl concentrations in the illicit drug supply, though nearly five people continue to die daily.
The UK government is offering £20 million in grants through Innovate UK to develop cutting-edge medicines, medical technologies and digital tools to tackle drug and alcohol addiction, which causes around 15,000 deaths annually and costs England an estimated £47 billion each year.
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT07216963 |
The Community Paramedic Response and Overdose Outreach With Supportive Medical-Legal Services Study |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07214519 |
Permanent Supportive Housing Overdose Prevention+ Study |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT07170072 |
Shelter HArm Reduction Evaluation |
RECRUITING | |
| NCT07022717 |
A Universal Primary Care Based Intervention to Reduce Youth Overdose Risk |
RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT06855836 |
Motivational Interviewing to Increase Uptake of Drug Checking and Safe Drug Use Behaviors to Reduce Overdose |
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT06456294 |
Evaluation of a Medication Health Center to Promote Opioid Safety |
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT06320015 |
Emergency Medicine Peer Outreach Worker Engagement for Recovery |
RECRUITING | |
| NCT06316739 |
The Ganchero Intervention for Migrant People Who Inject Drugs From Puerto Rico in New York City |
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | NA |
| NCT06236087 |
Overdose Prevention Centers and Behavioral Health |
NOT_YET_RECRUITING | |
| NCT06219967 |
Does a Soft Drink Mixture Improve Tolerance of Activated Charcoal in the Adult Poisoned Patient Without Affecting Efficacy |
COMPLETED | PHASE4 |
