Fentanyl Crisis Spurs Need for Help With Multiple-Drug Overdoses (1)

The record number of Americans dying from a mix of drugs laced with fentanyl is driving research into medications that can eliminate multiple substances from the body.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse is prioritizing research to counteract overdoses from more than one drug. One promising medication could start initial safety testing as soon as June or July.

“Many people, if not most people, in some areas are dying with multiple substances in their body,” said Sarah E. Wakeman, medical director for the Massachusetts General Hospital Substance Use Disorder Initiative.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that’s anywhere between 50 to 100 ...