SEATTLE — More than 860 people in Snohomish County have died of overdoses since the start of 2020, and the number of people seeking treatment for drug addictions is increasing across northwest Washington and the country.
“Drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine are dominating the brokenness in our communities,” said Dr. Thomas Robey, emergency physician with Providence Regional Medical Center Everett.
In emergency departments across the Puget Sound region, including at Providence Everett, medical professionals are working to keep people affected by addiction safe and reduce the harm they might overdose.
“We maybe even get them a couple steps closer to reintegrating in society and doing what they want to do with their lives,” Dr. Robey said.
Providence Regional Medical Center Everett is one of four hospitals nationwide participating in a Meth-OD program using monoclonal antibodies to treat meth addiction. The drug used in the trial binds amphetamines in the blood and transports meth away from the brain so that it can be removed from the body.
It can stay in the system for up to six weeks giving people time to improve their lives. When someone slips up, the drug can help prevent a high and the downward spiral that sometimes accompanies it.
“What has been really heartening is the folks who get the drug versus the control, they’re coming in in 30 days looking like new people,” Dr. Robey said.
It’s still early in the FDA trial process, and the data is still being prepared for review by the FDA.
“We’re really excited to see it implemented more widely as soon as possible, but it may not be for a couple of years,” Dr. Robey said.
A fentanyl overdose trial is also underway at Providence Everett. Fentanyl has become an increasingly frequent killer in Snohomish County because it is accessible, cheap and being cut into other drugs.
“Those individuals are at most risk of anyone I see, any cause in the emergency department, they’re the most at risk of dying in the next 30 days,” Dr. Robey said.
The trial pairs those who have just overdosed with a peer who has lived experience with addiction. The three-center trial, sponsored by the NIH, is an opportunity to provide meaningful change for patients.
To learn more about addiction and recovery services, visit the Providence Swedish website. If you are experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis, call 988 at any time from any phone for support.
This story is sponsored by Providence Swedish.