Background. Drug checking services (DCS) offer the public the opportunity to submit substances of concern for chemical analysis and get results back alongside a tailored health intervention. Beyond this primary function, broader dissemination of anonymised findings about market trends and concerning substances can amplify the harm reduction potential of DCS.
Aim. We review different ways that global DCS communicate their findings, and identify considerations for planning and designing such public outputs.
Methods. We conducted an international review of the public outputs of DCS. We partnered with community organisations to consult on findings and recommendations (2 workshops and 1 online survey) with people who use drugs and drug sector workers in Victoria, Australia.
Results. Five public outputs were identified: alerts – where higher risk detections are communicated with specific actionable advice, individual sample results – where all results are published individually, dashboards – where all results are displayed in interactive graphics, regular service reports, and education and harm reduction supplements. Preferences for data availability and format were highly variable among consultation participants, whose lived experience and contexts shaped what they conceived to be likely effects of such outputs. A significant tension was that wide dissemination and detailed information is likely to reach and be relevant to a wider range of people who use drugs; however, this could also increase risk of such information being used in stigmatising practices and to increase surveillance (e.g. in policing).
Implications. When planning and designing public outputs of DCS, it is crucial to consider audience, purpose and context to determine what data to collect and report, and how (and whether) to disseminate information. Community preferences in local contexts are likely to differ, including based on local drug markets (e.g. with presence of fentanyl and nitazenes), policing practices, and legal frameworks.