Ryan McNeil

Ryan McNeil is an Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine) at Yale University School of Medicine and serves as Director of Harm Reduction Research in the Program in Addiction Medicine. He holds secondary appointments in Social and Behavioral Sciences and is actively engaged in research examining how social, structural, and environmental factors shape risk and harm among people who use drugs.

Dr. McNeil's research focuses on substance use, addiction, and harm reduction, with particular emphasis on:

• Social, structural, and environmental influences on harm reduction interventions
• Implementation of supervised consumption services
• Housing-based interventions and overdose risks
• Management approaches for stimulant use disorders
• Community engagement in research with people who use drugs

His work demonstrates a strong commitment to health equity and addressing structural vulnerabilities that contribute to drug-related harms. Dr. McNeil has been instrumental in informing the scale-up of harm reduction approaches including supervised consumption services and safe supply programs.

Dr. McNeil's recent publications reveal a consistent focus on understanding the complex interplay between housing, social determinants, and drug-related harms. His research employs primarily qualitative methodologies to examine patient experiences with opioid agonist treatments, barriers to care, and the impact of policy interventions on vulnerable populations.

Dr. McNeil has received numerous prestigious awards recognizing his contributions to the field:

• Highly Cited Researcher (Crossfield) from Clarivate (2024)
• Canadian Hillman Prize from Sidney Hillman Foundation (2020)
• Radio Impact Award from Third Coast International Audio Festival (2019)
• Scholar Award from Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (2016)
• New Investigator Award from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2016)

Dr. McNeil actively collaborates with community-based organizations, including peer-driven drug user, sex worker, and tenant rights organizations, to align his research with community priorities. His work emphasizes meaningful involvement of people with lived experience in all stages of the research process, providing opportunities for co-leadership and engagement. He regularly provides expert advice to health care organizations and governments on the development and implementation of harm reduction interventions.

His research program includes community-engaged work focused on harm reduction, with particular attention to how risk environments shape drug-related harms. Dr. McNeil's work bridges academic research with practical interventions aimed at reducing overdose deaths and improving health outcomes for people who use drugs.