Episode 60: Detecting Harm Early – Drug Early Warning Systems Explained

This week on The Tox Lab, we’re exploring early warning systems and their growing role in toxicology and public health.

We break down the core principles that underpin early warning systems, before focusing on how these frameworks are applied to drug early warning systems aimed at identifying emerging substances and harms. We then discuss a recent paper examining the value of incorporating experiential reports from people who use drugs, and how these insights might strengthen surveillance and response efforts.

Join us as we unpack how early warning systems are built, what makes them effective, and how listening to lived experience could help detect and prevent harm sooner.

Hope you enjoy!

Links to the papers we discussed:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925002427

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395925003949

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