Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

What Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation does

The Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation (CDPE) is a non-profit academic research organization based in Toronto, Canada, administered by St. Michael's Hospital (Unity Health Toronto) with academic affiliations at the University of Toronto, University of California San Diego, and University of British Columbia. CDPE generates scientific evidence on the impacts of drug policy on community health and safety, operating a portfolio of research programs including the T-DOT prospective cohort study evaluating harm reduction services (supervised consumption sites, drug checking, opioid agonist therapies), the DoseCheck smartphone-based electrochemical drug checking device (patent-pending, developed with UC San Diego), Toronto's Drug Checking Service (10,000+ samples tested, 450+ unique drugs identified), the PRIMER multi-country cohort study across seven cities with 3,850 participants, the Policy Impact Unit engaging UN bodies, and the Drug Policy Metrics Map interactive online tool. Revenue comes exclusively from government grants (CIHR, Health Canada, NIDA) and charitable foundations (Open Society Foundations, MAC AIDS Fund), with no commercial product pricing. CDPE serves people who use drugs, affected communities, policymakers at local/national/international levels, and healthcare providers through knowledge translation including peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, and UN advocacy at CND/WHO/UNODC proceedings, supported by a 12-member Community Steering Committee with lived drug use experience.

Name

Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

Legal name

Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

Website

https://cdpe.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation is a Toronto-based non-profit research organization generating scientific evidence on drug policy and harm reduction, administering cohort studies, drug checking services, and policy guidance for people who use drugs, affected communities, and policymakers at local, national, and international levels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Drug Policy Research

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Administration of Public Health Programs (92312)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs) (HLAJAOAM)

Keywords

• Drug policy research
• Harm reduction services
• Substance use research
• Public health evaluation
• Drug checking technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants: Funded by various government sources including Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Health Canada, National Institute on Drug Abuse (US), Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, and provincial government bodies. These grants support specific research projects and ongoing operations.
2. Foundation and Charity Funding: Support from charitable foundations including MAC AIDS Fund, Open Society Foundations, St. Michael's Hospital Foundation, and others. These provide operational and project-specific funding.
3. Academic/Institutional Support: Administrative support through St. Michael's Hospital (Unity Health Toronto) and academic affiliations with University of Toronto, University of California San Diego, University of British Columbia, and other institutions.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation (CDPE) is a non-profit research organization that conducts scientific research and knowledge translation on drug policy, harm reduction, and substance use. It delivers a portfolio of research programs including cohort studies (T-DOT, PRIMER), drug checking technology development (DoseCheck), laboratory drug checking services (Toronto's Drug Checking Service), policy impact and advocacy work, systematic reviews, and program evaluations. Its outputs are open-access peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, and evidence-based guidance for policymakers at local, national, and international levels.

Product overview

CDPE does not offer a commercial software product in the traditional sense; instead, it provides a portfolio of research programs and public health evaluation services that collectively constitute its research and knowledge translation offering. The portfolio includes: T-DOT, a prospective cohort study evaluating harm reduction services (SCS, drug checking, OAT) for people who use drugs; DoseCheck, a smartphone-based portable drug checking device finalist in Health Canada's technology challenge; Toronto's Drug Checking Service, a laboratory-based drug checking service analyzing samples from the unregulated supply; the Policy Impact Unit providing evidence-based policy guidance; the Drug Policy Metrics Map, an online tool for comparing drug policy metrics internationally; Safer Opioid Supply Programs Evaluation; PATH-Toronto for homeless youth; Systematic Reviews synthesizing drug policy evidence; COVID-19 Rapid Assessment; and PRIMER, a multi-country study on injection initiation prevention. These programs are research-focused offerings rather than commercially marketed software products, and no commercial product pricing or packaging information is available.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• T-DOT (Toronto Disparities, Overdose and Treatment) A prospective cohort study evaluating harm reduction services including supervised consumption sites (SCS), drug checking services, opioid agonist therapies (OAT), and the broader continuum of care for substance-related issues, assessing impacts on health, behavioural, and social outcomes among people who use drugs in Toronto.
• DoseCheck A smartphone-based portable drug checking device that uses electrochemical analysis to detect the presence of toxic adulterants including opioids in drugs from the unregulated supply; data is transmitted to a dedicated app providing users with sample analysis, with sensors updatable to identify emerging adulterants.
• Policy Impact Unit A unit providing evidence- and rights-based policy guidance to support local, national, and international drug policy development, engaging with UN proceedings (Commission on Narcotic Drugs, WHO, UNODC), civil society inclusion initiatives, and policymaker outreach.
• Drug Policy Metrics Map An online tool providing international cross-comparison of illegal drug policies, demonstrating alignment and gaps between metrics countries use to assess drug policy success and actual outcomes; covers Health, Peace and Security, Development, and Human Rights domains aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Toronto's Drug Checking Service A drug checking service that analyzes samples from Toronto's unregulated drug supply using mass spectrometry technologies at CAMH and St. Michael's Hospital laboratories, providing service users with detailed drug composition information, harm reduction strategies, and market monitoring data publicly disseminated every two weeks.
• Safer Opioid Supply Programs Evaluation in Toronto, Ontario An evaluation study assessing the impact of safer opioid supply programs (providing pharmaceutical-grade opioid alternatives to the unregulated drug supply) on health, social, and legal outcomes, conducted in partnership with community healthcare agencies in downtown Toronto.
• PATH-Toronto (Promoting Access to Treatment for Toronto's Homeless Youth in Substance Use and Mental Health) A mixed-methods study using Photovoice methodology and qualitative interviews to identify barriers and facilitators of substance use and mental health care access for youth experiencing homelessness in Toronto.
• Systematic Reviews on Drug Policy A portfolio of peer-reviewed systematic reviews synthesizing evidence on the effectiveness of drug policies and interventions to reduce drug-related harms, including topics on drug checking services, injection drug use initiation, drug decriminalization, and treatment modalities.
• COVID-19 Rapid Assessment A rapid assessment study examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people who inject drugs in Toronto, including clinical and social outcomes, service utilization, and trends in the unregulated drug supply, using quantitative surveys, qualitative interviews, and administrative health data linkages.
• PRIMER (Preventing Injecting by Modifying Existing Responses) A multi-country mixed-methods cohort study examining whether specific interventions and factors influence the risk of individuals beginning injection drug use, pooling qualitative and quantitative data from cohorts across seven cities (Vancouver, San Diego, Tijuana, Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux, Strasbourg), with n=3,850 participants.

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDPE is administered by St. Michael's Hospital, Unity Health Toronto. The organization is based at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute and receives institutional support including administrative services and facilities.
• University of TorontocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner where CDPE leadership holds dual appointments. Dr. Dan Werb holds appointment in Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation. Multiple staff and collaborators affiliated with university departments.
• University of California San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Dan Werb holds dual appointment in Division of Infectious Diseases & Global Public Health. Collaboration on DoseCheck technology development with Dr. Drew Hall. Co-founded Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (IPATH) with Dr. Strathdee.
• British Columbia Centre on Substance UsecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner for substance use research, drug checking services evaluation, and PRIMER study. Dr. Karamouzian is affiliated with BCCSU.
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates on drug checking services (clinical laboratories) and research on substance use disorders and harm reduction.
• South Riverdale Community Health CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for T-DOT cohort study, HIV/HCV testing expansion, and harm reduction services including supervised consumption site.
• Parkdale Queen West Community Health CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for T-DOT cohort study and integrated supervised injection services evaluation.
• Toronto Public HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for drug checking services through The Works, harm reduction programming, and overdose response initiatives.
• International Drug Policy ConsortiummajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal civil society network working on drug policy. CDPE participates in advocacy and policy coordination.
• Global Commission on Drug PolicymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational commission working to promote evidence-based drug policies. CDPE provides research support and advocacy.
• Drug Policy AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS-based organization working on drug policy reform. CDPE collaborates on research and policy initiatives.
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDPE engages with UNODC at Commission on Narcotic Drugs proceedings and contributes to international drug policy guidance.
• Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational research initiative coordinating substance use research across Canada. CDPE is an active collaborator.
• British Columbia Centre on Substance Use, VancouvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMER study partner for Vancouver site examining injection drug use initiation prevention.
• Université de Bordeaux, FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMER study partner for Bordeaux, France study site.
• Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale, Marseille, FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMER study partner for Marseille, France study site.
• Centre hospitalier régional et universitaire, Strasbourg, FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMER study partner for Strasbourg, France study site.
• Université René Descartes, Paris, FrancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMER study partner for Paris, France study site.
• University of Xochicalco, Tijuana, MexicomajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPRIMER study partner for Tijuana, Mexico site studying injection drug use initiation.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Global Commission on Drug Policy: The Global Commission on Drug Policy is an international body of political and policy leaders promoting evidence-based drug policy reform. It is a direct peer through shared international advocacy and CDPE's listed collaboration on global drug policy reform initiatives.
• International Drug Policy Consortium (IDPC): IDPC is a global civil society network advancing evidence-based drug policy. It is a direct peer through shared engagement at UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs and CDPE's explicit collaboration on international drug policy advocacy.
• Harm Reduction International: Harm Reduction International is a leading international NGO promoting harm reduction approaches to drug use globally. It is a direct peer through shared mission on harm reduction, supervised consumption sites, and drug policy reform advocacy.
• Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA): CCSA is a national Canadian organization providing evidence-based analysis on substance use to inform policy and practice. It is a direct peer given overlapping mandate on drug policy research, knowledge translation, and engagement with Canadian federal/provincial governments.
• Drug Policy Alliance: Drug Policy Alliance is a leading US-based organization promoting drug policy reform grounded in evidence and human rights. It is a direct peer through shared advocacy at UN proceedings, drug decriminalization research agenda, and listed as a CDPE collaborator.
• British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU): BCCSU is a leading Canadian substance use research center at UBC conducting clinical guidance, harm reduction research, and policy work. It is a direct peer through shared substance use research agenda and the affiliation of CDPE's Dr. Karamouzian with BCCSU, including partnership on the PRIMER cohort.
• Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM): CRISM is a national research network coordinating substance use research across Canada through regional nodes. It is a direct peer through overlapping cohort studies, harm reduction evaluation, and CRISM is listed as an active CDPE collaborator.
• Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH): CAMH is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital and research center. It is a direct peer through joint operation of Toronto's Drug Checking Service laboratories and shared research portfolio on substance use disorders.

Broad incumbents

• European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA): EMCDDA is the EU's central reference point for drug-related information and policy analysis. It is a broad incumbent peer through similar drug policy monitoring and metrics work, but at a pan-European government-mandated scale.
• RAND Corporation Drug Policy Research Center: RAND is a major US-based policy research institution with a long-running drug policy research portfolio. It is a broad incumbent peer through similar policy evaluation methodologies but operates across many policy domains beyond substance use.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-on-drug-policy-evaluation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation