Division of  General Internal Medicine

Section of Treatment, Research, and Education in Addiction Medicine

Harm Reduction Research Collaborative (HRRC)

The Harm Reduction Research Collaborative (HRRC) is dedicated to advancing research, education, and advocacy to reduce harm and promote the health of people who use drugs.

Projects

Humanizing Healthcare through Harm Reduction

This quality improvement initiative focuses on integrating harm reduction services in healthcare settings to reduce substance use-related morbidity and mortality, increase access to evidence-based interventions, and improve engagement with PWUD. Beginning in February 2023, this initiative has expanded across 5 sites within the UPMC system and includes distribution of various safer use supplies, test strips, naloxone, and wound care kits.

WoundWell Clinic

WoundWell is an xylazine wound care clinic co-located within IM-REP that provides low-barrier trauma-informed wound care services.

Prescribe to Prevent HIV (P2PH)

This project focuses on co-creating and pilot testing a tailored multi-level implementation strategy bundle to increase the prescribing of sterile injection equipment and PrEP across four outpatient clinics, ultimately reducing the risk of HIV and SIRI among PWID.

Funding

Current:

  • NIH NIDA K23DA063654: Prescribe to Prevent HIV
  • 2025 Beckwith Frontline Innovation Grant, The Beckwith Institute. Expanding WoundWell’s initiative: Improving outcomes for patients with xylazine-related wounds

Previous:

  • NIDA 1RM1 DA055311-01 TREETOP Branch Pilot Award. Humanizing healthcare through harm reduction: a multi-site evaluation of harm reduction services for patients with OUD and chronic pain
  • Magee-Womens Research Institute CARES Research Award. Feasibility and acceptability of pairing xylazine education and home testing as a harm reduction strategy for pregnant and postpartum persons at high-risk of illicit opioid use

 

Our Work

Presentations

Our team has presented at various conferences locally, nationally, and internationally, including ASAM, AMERSA, CPDD, SGIM, and INSHU. Click the images below to enlarge.

Wilson Scholars in Addiction Medicine Research Award

Presented at AMERSA 2025

Presented at ASAM 2024

Presented at ASAM 2025

Presented at CPDD 2024

Presented at INHSU 2024

Related Publications

  1. Shang M, Thiel B, Liebschutz JM, Kraemer KL, Freund A, Jawa R. Implementing harm reduction kits in an office-based addiction treatment program. Harm Reduct J. Nov 2023;20(1):163. doi:10.1186/s12954-023-00897-5
  1. Jawa R, Murray S, Blakemore S, Ventura A, Hristova T, Wilder A, Shang M, Labelle C. Xylazine and adulterants in the evolving drug supply: Urgent call for responsive education models. Subst Use Addctn J. 2024;0(0). doi:10.1177/29767342241231114
  1. Jawa R, Blakemore S, Murray S, Ventura A, Hristova T, Wilder A, Shang M, Johnson T, LaBelle C. Wound care capacity of the addiction workforce in the setting of xylazine. Journal of Addiction Medicine. 2024;18(6):723-726. doi:10.1097/ADM.0000000000001352
  1. Jawa R, Ismail S, Shang M, Murray S, Murray-Krezan C, Zheng Y, Mackin S, Washington K, Alvarez P, Dillon J, McMurtrie G, Stein M, Walley A, Liebschutz JM. Drug use practices and wound care experiences in the age of xylazine adulteration. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2024;263. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112390
  1. Hull I*, Jawa R*, Shang M, Davis C, McMurtrie G, King C, Krans E. Implications of xylazine exposure in pregnancy: A narrative review. Journal of Addictive Diseases. 2024:1-8. doi:10.1080/10550887.2024.2391156
  1. Shang M*, Hull I*, Liebschutz JM, et al. Building multidisciplinary consensus on inpatient xylazine management through clinical protocols. Subst Use Addctn J. Published online April 15, 2025. doi:10.1177/29767342251329681
  1. Jawa R, Goswami M, Ismail S, Shang M, McMurtrie G, Murray S, Liebschutz JM, Coldiz JB. A content analysis of xylazine-associated stigma in web-based media driven by the zombie term and stigmatizing imagery. J Addict Med. doi:10.1097/ADM.0000000000001506
  1. Markus A, Shang M, Studnicki O, Freund A, Merlin J, Liebschutz JM, Raghu VK, Jawa R. Micro-costing analysis of harm reduction services in office-based addiction treatment. Drug and Alcohol Dependence. 2025;278. doi:10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2025.112990
  1. Shang M, Hull I, Schultz K, Halpern D, McMurtrie G, Bell A, Liebschutz JM, Jawa R. “None of us asked for it”: Experiences of xylazine among individuals with xylazine-associated wounds.

Other Work

Harm Reduction Pamphlets:

Xylazine-Related Work

 

Team

Ilana Hull, MD, MSc
Raagini Jawa, MD, MPH, FASAM
Margaret Shang, MD, MS

Sara Barač, BA – Volunteer Coordinator
Mariska Goswami, BS – Research Assistant
Austen Markus, MPH – Research Coordinator
Olivia Studnicki, BS – Research Assistant 

HHH Site Champions
Ariana Evagash, MHA, MBA
Meghan GaNung, LCSW
Cambria King, BA, CRS
Hannah Scears, MS

Previous Collaborators
Chrishuan Alexander, BS
Samia Ismail, MPH
Gary McMurtrie, BA
Alena Schwob, BA

HRRC presenting at INHSU 2023 Annual Conference in Athens, Greece (Left to Right: Mariska Goswami, Gary McMurtrie, Raagini Jawa, Olivia Studnicki)

Volunteer with HRRC

HRRC Harm Reduction Packing Parties

Location: 3609 Forbes Ave, Floor 2, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Time: 4:30-7:30 PM (feel free to come when you can)

2026 Schedule (Tentative)

  • January 27, 2026
  • February 23, 2026
  • March 31, 2026
  • April 14, 2026
  • May 26, 2026
  • June 30, 2026
  • July 28, 2026
  • August 25, 2026
  • September 29, 2026
  • October 27, 2026
  • November 17, 2026
  • December 15, 2026