معرفی
Benedikt Fischer is an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He holds additional academic appointments as Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, and the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil. His research focuses on socio-behavioral epidemiology of substance use, policy analysis, and evidence-based interventions targeting marginalized populations such as youth, Indigenous communities, and incarcerated individuals. With over 300 publications, his work emphasizes knowledge translation and implementation science.
Key areas of expertise include cannabis policy evaluation, opioid overdose prevention, and harm reduction strategies. He has advised Health Canada on cannabis legalization (2016–17) and led the CIHR-funded Ontario CRISM Node Team. Recent studies examine cannabis legalization impacts on youth, opioid market dynamics, and correctional health outcomes. Fischer advocates for public health-centered drug policies, emphasizing rigorous data integration and equity considerations.
- Education: PhD in Public Health (NPI designation)
- Affiliations: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Institute of Mental Health Policy Research (IMPHR), University of Toronto's Institute of Medical Sciences
- Grants: CIHR Applied Public Health Research Chair (2008–2015), CIHR-funded CRISM Node
- Teams: Lead researcher in the Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines (LRCUG) international initiative
His lab collaborations span North America and Brazil, addressing issues like stimulant use trends, syphilis co-infections among drug users, and prison health interventions. Current work explores fentanyl's role in overdose crises and innovative digital health tools for substance use disorders.
