New Technology Aims to Up the Ante in the Fight Against Opioid Abuse

Millions of people across the world suffer from pain. Chronic discomfort is an unfortunate reality, whether from an accident or serious illness. Luckily, access to medications and alleviation treatments are available. Modern medicine has allowed awful afflictions of the past to turn into manageable problems. Opioids and other types of synthetic drugs create long-term remedies for those with chronic symptoms. However, a few of these drugs have gotten a bad reputation, which has restricted their availability. 

 “Beyond just prescribing rates, the pain community itself has not decreased similarly to the decrease in prescription rates,” says Gareth Sheridan, CEO of Nutriband, Inc., a medical company looking to solve the issues of opioid abuse. “The unfortunate reality is that you start to see the pain community buy their opioids off the street.” 

Opioid overdose and abuse are some of the biggest issues facing young adults. To combat this, technology and entertainment are being created to help the public understand the issue. On many of the major streaming sites, there are numerous selections discussing the issues of substance abuse. Many companies, like Nutriband, intend to be a solution for a better future. 

Sheridan’s company has patented a transdermal medical patch with an aversive coating layer added on top. Their AVERSA technology is added to the typical patch already used, manufactured to make it nearly impossible to separate the two parts. The coating is a chemical compound already in use to deter people from swallowing batteries and laundry detergent pods. This deterrent creates an unpalatable taste in the mouth, along with a very unpleasant burning sensation, forcing the abuser, or accidental user, to spit the patch out immediately. 

“The two core roots of abuse are through nasal airways and oral pathways,” says Sheridan. “There are many known cases of users abusing their patches by smoking them, steeping them in tea, or even chewing them like gum. The simplicity of formulating our aversion technology was to look at the problem logically, rather than scientifically. We decided to make the patch taste horrible, even unbearable.” 

By fixing a previously established tool, Nutriband hopes to reduce the negative impacts associated in the medical community.  There are so many drawbacks to people being unable to seek the help that hurt them in the long run. According to the National Institute of Health, over five million people are dependent on opioids for chronic pain relief. Sheridan hopes to make their Aversa technology readily available for those who have been deprived of their medication. 

“Drastic improvements are better than nothing at all,” says Sheridan. “Technology such as AVERSA can lead to improvements in the abuse risk profile of these highly potent prescription products.” 

Creating a safer means of distribution can create an impact on the immediate community of users. For many who wear transdermal patches, issues have arisen from the accidental exposure of used, and new, patches in those of children. As a result, Nutriband is presenting its findings on the amount of abuse and accidental exposure in young kids. There have been many reported instances of them being hospitalized for these awful accidents.  

The study being presented was conducted in partnership with Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety, a division of Denver, Colorado’s Health and Hospital Authority. The findings encompass the growing trend of accidental pediatric exposures and the remedies for abuse and overdose. The full report was shared at the 2024 American Academy of Pain Medicine Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona. 

Actionable data and technological innovation are great first steps in changing the rhetoric of medical opioid use. These efforts can make impacts both socially and economically. Companies like Nutriband can help pave the way for greater awareness of this ongoing problem, improving medications to help save lives. 

This article is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice. If you are seeking medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, please consult a medical professional or healthcare provider.