harm reduction - Page 1 | CARLAT PUBLISHING

Research Update

Harm Reduction Vending Machines

July 14, 2026

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS., Dr. Capurso has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Vending machines stocked with naloxone, syringes, and HIV tests are spreading across communities. But do they reach the people who need them most, and what does the evidence say about their impact?

Expert Q&A

Lessons From Street Psychiatry

January 1, 2026

Emma Lo, MD

Medical Director, Connecticut Mental Health Center Street Psychiatry Team; Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Dr. Lo has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Street psychiatry brings mental health and addiction care directly to unhoused individuals through proactive outreach and long-term trust-building. Dr. Lo describes the importance of collaborating with other providers, applying harm reduction principles, engagement strategies, and how reversing traditional power dynamics helps reach vulnerable “non-utilizers” who rarely access clinics or hospitals.

Research Update

Does Take-Home Naloxone Lead to Riskier Drug Use?

January 1, 2026

Crystal Obiozor, MD

Crystal Obiozor, MD. Dr. Obiozor has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

A large prospective cohort study finds no evidence that take-home naloxone increases risky drug use behaviors. Injection frequency, opioid use, benzodiazepine use, and using alone remained unchanged—reinforcing naloxone’s role as a lifesaving harm-reduction tool without unintended risk compensation.

Clinical Update

Overview of Stimulants

October 1, 2024

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM and Noah Capurso, MD

Michael Weaver, MD, DFASAM. Professor and Medical Director, Center for Neurobehavioral Research on Addiction at the University of Texas Medical School, Houston, TX.

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University, and Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Drs. Weaver and Capurso have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

This article offers an insightful overview of the pharmacology of various stimulant drugs, their potential for misuse, and the dangers they pose—especially with rising overdose rates due to contamination with fentanyl. Learn about the history, various classes of stimulants, and the treatments available for stimulant use disorder, as well as the crucial harm reduction strategies aimed at minimizing risks.

Expert Q&A

Opioid Use Disorder in Correctional Facilities

July 1, 2024

Elizabeth Needham Waddell, PhD

Elizabeth Needham Waddell, PhD.

Associate Professor, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health & Section of Addiction Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR.

Dr. Waddell has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

People with opioid use disorder who are incarcerated have an elevated rate of morbidity and mortality, particularly following release.

Clinical Update

Xylazine: An Emerging Threat in the Opioid Overdose Epidemic

October 31, 2023

Roberto Sanchez, MD and Noah Capurso, MD

Roberto Sanchez, MD. Addiction psychiatry fellow, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Assistant professor of psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Dr. Sanchez and Dr. Capurso have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Xylazine is the latest contaminant being found in the American illicit drug supply. A non-opioid itself, xylazine is usually combined with fentanyl, with which it has synergistic sedative effects. Patients using xylazine can have profound levels of sedation and develop severe peripheral wounds. In this article, we discuss xylazine essentials and cover harm reduction strategies to help keep your patients safe.

Expert Q&A

The State of Opioids on the Street

May 29, 2023

Daniel Ciccarone, MD, MPH

Daniel Ciccarone, MD, MPH.

Justine Miner Professor of Addiction Medicine at the University of California San Francisco.

Dr. Ciccarone is a member of the scientific advisory board for Celero Systems. Relevant financial relationships listed for the author have been mitigated.

Dr. Ciccarone sheds light on the current chaotic and perilous situation surrounding illicit opioids found on the streets.

Clinical Update

Fentanyl Testing: An Emerging Harm Reduction Strategy

May 29, 2023

Noah Capurso, MD and Alyssa Falleni, PharmD

Alyssa Falleni, PharmD. CT Health Education and Research in SUD and Related Harms (CHERISH) Fellow; VA Connecticut Healthcare System, Orange, CT.

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Editor-in-Chief of The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Dr. Falleni and Dr. Capurso have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Discover the lifesaving potential of fentanyl test strips (FTS). As fentanyl infiltrates illicit drug markets, FTS offer an essential harm reduction strategy. We’ll explore the technology behind FTS, how to obtain and use them, discuss their legality, and examine their role in preventing opioid overdose deaths.

Expert Q&A

Substance Use Disorders in Older Adults: A Growing Concern

May 11, 2023

Olivera J. Bogunovic, MD

Olivera J. Bogunovic, MD.

Medical director of ambulatory services in the Division of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addiction at McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA; assistant professor of psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.

Dr. Bogunovic has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Older adults with substance use disorders present to clinicians in various stages of change. Dr. Bogunovic discusses brief clinical interventions including motivational interviewing and how to approach harm reduction.