Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital set up a mock safe injection site at its health center in Charlestown to raise awareness about overdose deaths, treatment and prevention, according to The Republican.
The three-day mock event starts Oct. 16 and will feature real equipment used at supervised injection sites.
"We're willing to demonstrate to the public that this is a safe, hygienic medical intervention," Mark Eisenberg, MD, primary care specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, told The Republican.
The event, which Dr. Eisenberg is overseeing, is part of the hospital's collaboration with SIF MA Now!, a group of medical, civil and law enforcement professionals who back supervised injection sites.
The initiative comes amid national debates surrounding the legality and enforcement of these sites. Earlier this month, a federal judge ruled that Philadelphia's proposed injection site doesn't violate the Controlled Substances Act. The landmark ruling opens the door for such sites to open in the U.S.