DRUIDapp, Inc. — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: NIDA

Description

The DRUIDApp to Test ImpairmentAbstract The objective of this Fast Track proposal is to demonstrate proof of concept and efficacy of a portable cognitive behavioral assessment toolthe DRUIDappthat measures impairment from cannabisalcohol or other sourcesThis device will be available for use by military to assess mission readiness and training limitsfor workplaces and transportation systems to assess worker impairmentto assist doctors in monitoring the functional health of patientsand eventually for law enforcement in cases of suspected impaired drivingThe rapidly expanding legalization of medical and recreational cannabis around the U Shas highlighted the need for an effective device to detect cannabis impaired drivingas the Standard Field Sobriety TestSFSTis not sensitive enough to cannabis impairmentBosker et alWhile a number of cannabis breathalyzer devices are now under developmentnone of them actually measure impairmentMultiple letters of support from law enforcement indicate their interest in the potential use of DRUIDAdditionallydrug testing is widely used in industry and manufacturingbut research shows pre hiring drug tests are ineffective in reducing accidents and absenteeismJacklin Steel Company in Michigan has expressed interest in implementing DRUIDin their steel millDRUIDis a cognitive behavioral assessment tool that measures actual impairmentproviding a complement to devices that can establish recent use of cannabisDRUIDuses divided attention tasks and measures reaction timedecision makinghand eye coordinationtime estimation and balanceand then integrates these measurements into an overall impairment scoreThe Phase I subcontract research study to be conducted at Johns Hopkins in DrRyan Vandrey Behavioral Pharmacology Lab will administer a placebolow THC and high THC to participants through oral and inhaled routes of administration and observe the cognitive effects with SFST measuresThese participants will also do DRUIDThe Phase II subcontract research will also be conducted at Johns Hopkins in DrRyan Vandrey s Labtesting DRUIDin a dosage controlled cannabis administration study in parallel with performance in a state of the at simulatorThe combination of militarymedicalmanufacturing industrial transportation and law enforcement markets will ensure a speedy commercialization of the DRUIDappMultiple letters of support are included with this proposalincluding from business development professionalsindustry and law enforcement officialsThese letters document their interest in using DRUIDLetters of Support are also included from DRUIDapp s new CEO and CTOneuroscientist DrNestorfrom the DRUIDapp Advisory Board with extensive business experiencefrom multiple cannabis researchers indicating their interest in DRUIDand from a clinical psychologist who indicates the value of DRUIDfor his clients struggling with addiction Project Narrative This proposal is a response to the rapidly growing legalization of cannabis in the U Sthat raises the potential of increased levels of impairment at dangerous workplaces and drivingThe proposed study is to test and validate an app called DRUIDDRiving Under the Influence of Drugsfor the iPad iPhone Android that measures impairment from cannabisalcohol or other sources using measures of reaction timedecision makinghand eye coordinationtime estimation and balance under conditions of divided attention in a series of four tasksResearch participants in Phase I will be administered cannabis or not and then they will have their impairment assessed by Standard Field Sobriety Test measures and with DRUIDin Phase II of the proposalindividuals will be administered cannabis under controlled conditionsand impairment will be assessed using DRUIDand a driving simulator