December 2024
Protecting Oakland from
the Fentanyl Crisis
1 Opioid Overdose Is A Cross-District Issue
Source: CA Overdose Dashboard2
District 3 - 94612: 129 deaths, 94607: 49
District 7 - 94603: 52, 94621: 51
District 1 - 94609: 41, 94611: 8
District 2 - 94606: 40, 94610: 25
District 6 - 94605: 30
District 5 - 94601: 27
Oakland District by approx. zip code in
descending order of death count rate per 100k
residents2
Over 80% of opioid deaths fentanyl-related (2022)1; impacts all Oakland districts 1) CalMatters Fentanyl Statistics
2) CA Overdose Dashboard
2 4) Alameda County Public Health
Opioid Overdose Is a Risk to All Oakland residents
• Men faced nearly 5x higher risk of fatal
opioid overdose than women.
• Black/African-Americans had over 2x
the opioid overdose mortality of Whites
and 3x that of Hispanics/Latinos.
• In 2020 alone, 70% of overdose cases
involved non-unhoused individuals.
Age-adjusted overdose rate in 2020 by job in
the United States
Source: Washington Post3
● 1 out of 5 people who died of an
overdose in 2020 usually worked in
construction or restaurants3
The opioid crisis has a diverse impact across age, gender, race, and socioeconomic status Between 2019-2021 in Alameda County4:
3 A Growing Problem Calls for New Solutions
Oakland’s residents need a proactive response to rising opioid overdose deaths, actions have been implemented in comparable cities
Oakland Overdose Deaths5
● Oakland, CA: 21.15
● Long Beach, CA: 19.26
○ Has free fentanyl test strip program7
● Chicago, IL: 35.08
○ Distributes 30 test strips per 1,000
people annually9
5) Oakland CDC Data
6) Long Beach CDC Data
7) Long Beach Harm Reduction
8) Chicago Overdose Data
9) Chicago Harm Reduction
13) CA Opioid Overdose Rate
CA opioid overdose death rate (2022) ~ 18.413
2022 Opioid Overdose Death
Rates
(per 100k residents):
• All-in-one solution: No additional resources are required, built-in measuring tools ensure consistent, accurate results. Defent ONE is usable in all consumption environments
• Market-leading detection: Detects 100+ fentanyl analogs (including carfentanil) at concentrations as low as 15 ng/mL, reducing the risk of false positive
• Data collection: Unique anonymous opt-in data collection via QR code allows for reporting of positive fentanyl tests for public health insights
• Resounding Preference: 100% of users preferred Defent's ease of use over traditional FTS in a commissioned 3rd party study 4 Defent ONE Enhances Safety
Testing in 4 easy steps:
1. Collect sample with integrated scoop
2. Open lid, insert scoop
3. Pull pin and press test activation bass
4. Wait 3 minutes for result
Defent ONE is the only all-in-one detection device, making fentanyl detection easier, more accessible, and more informative than ever before
5 Limitations of Fentanyl Test Strips (FTS)
1. Requires multiple supplies such as clean water and
proper measuring components creating usage
barriers and increased risk of inaccurate results
2. Limited portability due to fragile construction, needs to be used in a stationary and sterile environment
3. Unintuitive testing design, relying heavily on user
comprehension of directions
4. Our research has found only 10-20% of distributed
FTS typically used indicating both impracticticality
and usage challenges
● 75% failed to retrieve correct sample
amount
● 81% did not shake drug bag as required
● 94% had difficulties preparing necessary
supplies
● 73% struggled with proper test activation
● 0% preferred using FTS to DEFENT
Third-Party Usability Study Findings for Each
Step of using an FTS (% failure)
Our proprietary research indicates the average
layperson user is incapable of using a test strip
properly.
Fentanyl test strips are impractical to use, making them an inferior way to test compared to Defent 6 Funding Available for Defent ONE
City of Oakland Opioid Settlement Funds12
● Total opioid settlement funds awarded to Oakland:
$8,824,339
● Approximate Oakland opioid settlement funds received
to date 2024: $1,604,492
● Approximate opioid settlement funds left to be received through 2038: $7,219,847
Current Oakland fund usage has been for establishing
housing for people experiencing homelessness10, but
funds can be used for abatement purposes such as
buying fentanyl testing equipment. This is a recommended action by Alameda County11.
Funds designated for abatement from opioid settlements are available to the city of Oakland 7 DDI Recommendation
Distribution
Method Units
Recommended
% of Total
Devices Description
Centralized
Pickup Locations 7,500 50
DDI will stock and replenish devices for
pickup at public and private centralized
sites across the city of Oakland
Direct Street
Distribution 4,500 30 DDI will distribute devices directly to the unhoused populations in Oakland
Online Ordering
with USPS Mail
Delivery
3,000 20
DDI will offer a website for ordering
devices to be delivered, inclusive of
shipping and handling costs
Total cost includes:
1. Defent ONE device
2. Awareness campaign
(social media, digital,
targeted outreach)
3. Project expenses
(management,
distribution, insurance)
4. Educational materials
Contract
Years
Devices /
1k
Population
Annual Units
Supplied In-
Person
Annual Units
Supplied
Online
Annual Cost
(Range)
Total Cost
(Range)
Total Units
Purchased
3 34 12,000 3,000 $125,000 -
$200,000
$375,000 -
$600,000 45,000
*Cost range allows for flexibility in
how Defent ONE is supplied and
reflects those differences
8 Awareness Plan for Program Success
Awareness Strategy:
● Geo-targeted digital marketing in high-risk zip
codes
● Social media influencer partnerships
● Community outreach events and
demonstrations (farmers markets, etc)
● Public transportation advertising (BART, buses)
● Collaborations with local businesses (bars,
clubs, venues)
● Youth-focused educational programs in schools
and colleges
Utilize modern awareness techniques with our Defent brand to build adoption of Defent ONE program
9 Distribution Plan for Program Success
Multi-faceted approach to distribution of units, creating access points for all demographics In-Person Distribution
● 30% of annual devices for unhoused
communities in hotspot areas, directly
distributed to those in need
● 50% of annual devices at public
centralized pick-up sites (health dept.,
community centers, etc) and private
pick-up sites (bars, music venues,
liquor stores)
● Trained staff providing guidance and
education
Online Distribution
● 20% of annual devices allocated for
online distribution
● Oakland-specific platform for
ordering and home delivery
● Monthly order cap (5 devices) for
equitable distribution
● Mobile-responsive design with
multi-language support
10 Leadership Experience in Crisis Response
and Program Management
• Medical laboratory and health tech diagnostics entrepreneur with Guardian Health, a Los Angeles-based firm
• Partnered with LA County and local Southern California Sherriff’s departments to administer over 250,000 COVID tests monthly during the height of the pandemic
• Led collaboration during the COVID pandemic to offer
COVID testing at the Coachella Music Festival and
Stagecoach, servicing over 300k people
Ahmad Hussain
CEO and Co-founder
Junaid Mohiuddin
CFO and Co-founder
• Co-founder of Fuel by McKinsey
• Past advisor to Headspace, Komodo Health, Omada Health, Moderna, Kinisi, Power
• >25 years of experience in Silicon Valley at McKinsey & Co.
Sun Microsystems, Cisco and multiple high-growth startups • Former Oakland Resident
11 Sources Cited
1) Ibarra, A. B., Yee, E., & Duara, N. (2023, July 25). California’s opioid deaths increased by 121% in 3 years. what’s driving the crisis? CalMatters. https://calmatters.org/explainers/california-opioid- crisis/#:~:text=Deaths%20related%20to%20fentanyl%20began,of%20all%20opioid%2Drelated%20deaths. 2) Welcome to the California Overdose Surveillance Dashboard. CA Overdose Dashboard. (n.d.). https://skylab.cdph.ca.gov/ODdash/?tab=CTY 3) Van Dam, A. (2023). The depressing relationship between your job and your odds of drug overdose - The Washington Post. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/10/06/jobs-likely-to-overdose/ 4) Update on fentanyl overdose and the opioid settlements. (2022). http://www.acgov.org/board/bos_calendar/documents/DocsAgendaReg_3_27_23/HEALTH%20CARE%20SERVICES/Regular%20Calendar/Item_2_Fe ntanyl_Opioid_pres_3_27_23.pdf 5)The Big Cities Health Inventory Data Platform. (n.d.). https://bigcitieshealthdata.org/city/oakland -ca/?metrics=07-01-01%2C11-01-03&years=%2C&groups=%2C 6) The Big Cities Health Inventory Data Platform. (n.d. -a). https://bigcitieshealthdata.org/city/long-beach-ca/?metrics=07-01-01%2C11-01-03&years=%2C&groups=%2C 7) Harm reduction program. Harm Reduction Program. (n.d.). https://longbeach.gov/health/diseases -and-condition/information-on/hivstd/hiv-syndemic-policy-program/ 8) Chicago Department of Public Health reports a decrease in opioid -related deaths in the city in the first half of 2021 . City of Chicago :: Chicago Department of Public Health reports a decrease in opioid - related deaths in the city in the first half of 2021. (n.d.). https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/healthy_livi ng/news/2021/august/chicago-department-of-public-health-reports-a-decrease-in- opioid.html
9) City, state and county partner on overdose prevention programs at Cook County Jail . City of Chicago :: City, State and County Partner on Overdose Prevention Programs at Cook County Jail. (n.d.). https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/cdph/provdrs/healthy_communities/news/2022/november/city --state-and-county-partner-on-overdose-prevention-programs-a.html 10) ***news release*** the City of Oakland awarded $7.2 million to... City of Oakland. (2024, April). https://www.oaklandca.gov/news/news-release-the-city-of-oakland-awarded-7-2-million-to-provide- shelter-and-housing-for-people-experiencing-homelessness 11)Update on fentanyl overdose and the opioid settlements. (2022). http://www.acgov.org/board/bos_calendar/documents/DocsAgendaReg_3_27_23/HEALTH%20CARE%20SERVICES/Regular%20Calendar/Item_2_Fe ntanyl_Opioid_pres_3_27_23.pdf 12) Payback: Tracking the opioid settlement cash. KFF Health News. (2024, September 6). https://kffhealthnews.org/opioid -settlements/ 13) Opioid overdose death rates and all drug overdose death rates per 100,000 population (age -adjusted). KFF. (2024, May 24). https://www.kff.org/other/state -indicator/opioid-overdose-death- rates/?currentTimeframe=0&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22%3A%22Location%22%2C%22sort%22%3A%22asc%22%7D