NDARC researcher awarded $1.64 million to bolster drug monitoring systems and better detect ‘hidden harms’
Published on the 30 July 2026
Australia’s drug monitoring systems will be strengthened to better detect and respond to emerging drug-related harms through a $1.64 million grant awarded to Dr Rachel Sutherland at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC), 91ɫƬ Sydney.
Dr Sutherland, a Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Lead of the Drug Trends Program at NDARC, said dramatic shifts in drug markets in recent years were placing increased strain on existing drug monitoring systems.
“More than 1200 new psychoactive substances have emerged, established drug markets such MDMA and ketamine have diversified to include more potent forms, and there is a rising prevalence of counterfeit benzodiazepines and synthetic opioids,” Dr Sutherland said.
“These changes are creating increasingly volatile and adulterated drug markets that increase the risk of unintentional drug consumption and acute toxicity. They also present significant challenges for how we monitor and respond to drug-related harms”
Dr Sutherland said the funds attached to the National Health and Medical Research Council Investigator Grant would be used to pilot and integrate innovative forensic methodologies within established drug monitoring systems across urban and regional Australia, with a focus on generating timely, actionable data to inform health and community responses.
“This work will help build a stronger evidence base on the presence and patterns of unexpected drug contents, inform rapid health responses, and support the translation of novel technologies into community practice,” Dr Sutherland said.
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