Could monoclonal antibodies be a game changer for treating meth addiction?

Nearly one million Americans are addicted to methamphetamine, or meth as it's called on the street. Of those, nearly 16,000 regular users are between the ages of 12 and 17. And when it comes to overdoses, the numbers have tripled between 2015 and 2019, the last year for which we have data. So it's not surprising that researchers and doctors are excited about a promising new treatment that's already being called a "game changer."

One of the doctors using the new treatment as part of a study in his emergency room is Dr. Thomas Robey. He's an emergency doctor at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, Washington, one of only four sites using monoclonal antibodies to fight addiction; a similar treatment to the one we've heard about to combat COVID-19. Dr. Robey joins Here & Now's Jane Clayson to talk about the treatment and how it could change the standard of care.