William Eger, Ph.D., MPH

Summary

William Eger, Ph.D., MPH, is an implementation scientist and epidemiologist whose research focuses on improving the health of people who use drugs. He uses implementation science, mixed methods epidemiology and community-engaged research to study how prevention, harm reduction and treatment interventions can be adapted and implemented in real-world settings.

Eger examines how changing patterns of drug use, evolving drug markets and structural barriers shape intervention needs and service delivery. His current work focuses on responding to emerging substance use challenges and improving the implementation of HIV prevention strategies, harm reduction services and substance use treatment in community settings.

Professional affiliations

• American Public Health Association
• Society for Implementation Research Collaboration
• College on Problems of Drug Dependence

Selected awards and honors

• Jean Fort Dissertation Prize, Nominee, Department of Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use, UC San Diego
• Certificate of Appreciation for Advancing Equity Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, UC San Diego

Classes taught

• PBH 315: Social and Behavioral Health

Sponsored research

• 1R36DA061013, Principal Investigator (2024 & 2026): Determinants of Transitioning from Injecting to Smoking Fentanyl and Methamphetamine and Implications for Harm Reduction Implementation. National Institute on Drug Abuse.
• 1U01DA063078, Key Personnel (2025 & 2030): A Binational Cohort of the Intersection Between Substance Use, HIV, and Associated Comorbidities among People Who Inject Drugs in San Diego, CA. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Selected publications

2025

• Eger, W. H., Gomez, A. K., Kielhold, K., Bartholomew, T. S., & Bazzi, A. R. (2025). Implementation determinants of safer smoking supplies in U.S. syringe services programs. Implementation Science Communications, 6(1), 27. 
• Eger, W. H., Paltin, D., Ross, J. D., Bailey, K., Nguyen, A. V., Solomon, E. M., Bartholomew, T. S., Han, B. H., & Bazzi, A. R. (2025). Naloxone distribution amidst shifting drug use patterns: Insights from a needs-based syringe services program. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 269, 112591. 

2024

• Eger, W. H., Abramovitz, D., Bazzi, A. R., Borquez, A., Vera, C. F., Harvey-Vera, A., Friedman, J. R., & Strathdee, S. A. (2024). Changes in injecting versus smoking heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine among people who inject drugs in San Diego, California, 2020 & 2023. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 259, 111318. 
• Eger, W. H., Plesons, M., Bartholomew, T. S., Bazzi, A. R., Hauschild, M. H., McElrath, C. C., Owens, C., Forrest, D. W., Tookes, H. E., & Crable, E. L. (2024). Syringe services program staff and participant perspectives on changing drug consumption behaviors in response to xylazine adulteration. Harm Reduction Journal, 21(1), 162. 
• Eger, W. H., Shaw, L. C., Biello, K. B., Lopez, C., Brody, J., & Bazzi, A. R. (2024). HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis prescription initiation and maintenance among homeless-experienced people who use drugs. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. 

Education

• Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Research on Substance Use, University of California San Diego and San Diego State University
• MPH in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale University
• BA (Honors) in Public Health and Spanish, Hartwick College