10 signatures reached
To: OEM Test Strip Manufacturers and SAMHSA
Fix Harm Reduction Tests: Clear Symbols, Save Lives
One vertical line makes the detection of fentanyl into an intuitive plus sign and a negative into a not equal. It is language neutral.
Most test strips today rely on confusing logic — one line means positive, two lines means negative — which contradicts nearly every diagnostic norm. In medicine, two lines usually indicate a positive result, and one line means negative. This reversal is dangerous, especially in moments of stress, or for people with limited health literacy or impaired vision.
We propose a low-cost, no-reagent visual format that eliminates confusion by using a permanently fixed perpendicula or diagonal line to form unmistakable symbols:
A plus sign (+) or an X = positive — fentanyl detected
A not-equal sign (≠) = negative — no fentanyl detected
These visual cues are:
Compatible with current chemistry (no reagents or re-approval needed)
Nearly costless to implement (just printed overlays or lines)
Consistent with FDA guidance on intuitive health communication
Lives aren’t being lost because test strips fail — they’re being lost because the results aren’t clear.
Let’s fix that.
Most test strips today rely on confusing logic — one line means positive, two lines means negative — which contradicts nearly every diagnostic norm. In medicine, two lines usually indicate a positive result, and one line means negative. This reversal is dangerous, especially in moments of stress, or for people with limited health literacy or impaired vision.
We propose a low-cost, no-reagent visual format that eliminates confusion by using a permanently fixed perpendicula or diagonal line to form unmistakable symbols:
A plus sign (+) or an X = positive — fentanyl detected
A not-equal sign (≠) = negative — no fentanyl detected
These visual cues are:
Compatible with current chemistry (no reagents or re-approval needed)
Nearly costless to implement (just printed overlays or lines)
Consistent with FDA guidance on intuitive health communication
Lives aren’t being lost because test strips fail — they’re being lost because the results aren’t clear.
Let’s fix that.
Why is this important?
Why this is important:
Every second counts in an overdose crisis. People using test strips are often in high-stress, low-light, or chaotic environments — shelters, bathrooms, street corners, or nightclubs. A split-second misread can mean the difference between life and death.
We are losing tens of thousands of lives every year to fentanyl — not because tests don’t work, but because results aren’t clear.
This isn’t a chemistry problem.
It’s a communication problem — and one we can solve today.
A simple shift in visual logic can save lives immediately — without costly materials, or new manufacturing
Every second counts in an overdose crisis. People using test strips are often in high-stress, low-light, or chaotic environments — shelters, bathrooms, street corners, or nightclubs. A split-second misread can mean the difference between life and death.
We are losing tens of thousands of lives every year to fentanyl — not because tests don’t work, but because results aren’t clear.
This isn’t a chemistry problem.
It’s a communication problem — and one we can solve today.
A simple shift in visual logic can save lives immediately — without costly materials, or new manufacturing