Health Canada’s Drug Checking Technology Challenge

On October 2, 2018, in partnership with Health Canada, we launched the Impact Canada Drug Checking Technology Challenge to “create a rapid, accurate, easy to use, and low-cost testing device or instrument that can be used with minimal training and preparation work”. Our goal is to serve people who use drugs and those who support them, to allow them to make decisions that may reduce their risk of overdose and death.

Over the last year, a small group of public servants has been working to scope, define and launch this Challenge. Dr. Michael Haber, a Health Canada scientist and Government of Canada Entrepreneur, is one of the key Challenge team members. Through his blog on Medium, Mike has very thoughtfully reflected on the how and why of planning and launching this Challenge.

Prize-Challenges and other forms of outcomes-based approaches are a new way of working for Government, and unlike many of our processes, no one has done this a hundred times already. It’s important that we capture and share our experiences in this brave new world, and build communities of the curious and the willing.

If you count yourself in these communities, I encourage you to read Mike’s blog. We are also working on a visual illustration of Challenge design and planning, called, Evolution of a Challenge: From Idea to Launch, so keep following the Impact and Innovation Unit website and Twitter for fresh content, and as the Drug Checking Technology Challenge unfolds over the next year.