Monitoring wastewater for opioids

Plus more health news |

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

How human waste will help the curb the opioid epidemic By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent Most of us don’t think much about what we send down the toilet or drain, but our waste can be a valuable resource for improving public health. During the pandemic, researchers analyzed sewage for signs of the COVID-19 virus, and that data is now among the most reliable ways of tracking infections nationwide for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Biobot, the first company to offer commercial wastewater surveillance analysis for cities and municipalities, has been providing about a third of that COVID-19 data to the CDC. Biobot is now launching another government partnership, this time with the National Institute on Drug Abuse, to track opioids. I spoke to Biobot co-founder Mariana Matus about the program’s goals: Five substances—cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, naloxone, and xylazine—will be tracked in the wastewater of select U.S. cities. Naloxone is a treatment that can reverse overdoses. The data will help government officials to distribute resources for educating people about overdose risk and treating them to areas where use is high. In a pilot study, the data helped Cary, N.C., reduce overdoses by 40% over a year. READ MORE Share This Story

What Else to Read With Demand for Mental-Health Care Soaring on Campus, Faculty and Students Are Stepping Up to Help By Jamie Ducharme Faculty, staff, and even students are now helping to support well-being on college campuses. Read More » The Man Who Thinks He Can Live Forever By Charlotte Alter Bryan Johnson's quest for immortality. Read More » Why Do You Get Sleepy After Eating? These Are the Top Theories By Markham Heid Researchers have turned up evidence of "food coma" in insects, snakes, worms and rats. (Originally published in 2019.) Read More » The Mysteries and Underdiagnosis of SIBO By Meaghan Beatley Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth can cause symptoms such as bloating and stomach pain. Read More » What's the Best Way to Get Rid of a Bad Aftertaste? By Jamie Ducharme Eating foods like garlic and onions can cause a bad aftertaste. But there are certain foods you can eat to get rid of one. (Originally published in 2019.) Read More »

ONE LAST READ The benefits of fathers All good parents love and nurture their children, but new research shows engaged fathers have a unique way of parenting that has specific benefits for their kids' development. As Susan Pinker explains in the Wall Street Journal, the rough-and-tumble play of fathers can produce children who have more self control and are better prepared for school. Read More »

If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, click here. Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Oliver Staley, and edited by Oliver.

Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters. Subscribe to TIME

TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice.   Connect with TIME via Facebook | Twitter | Newsletters       UNSUBSCRIBE     PRIVACY POLICY     YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS   TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508   Questions? Contact health@time.com   Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.