Five Areas Where “More Research” Isn’t Needed to Curb the Overdose Crisis

By Dr. Nora Volkow, National Institute on Drug Abuse ||

“…but more research is needed.” That’s often the refrain in science, and it includes addiction research. As the addiction and overdose crises continue to claim an unprecedented number of lives and fray communities, science is an essential part of the solution.

In the science-to-medicine pipeline, there is a point when a body of evidence is so well-established that to not put the science into action would be an abdication of responsibility. When it comes to the current crisis, there are at least five things that science has shown conclusively to be effective, where communities and healthcare providers can apply what we already know works.

We don’t need to keep asking if these things work. Instead, we must find ways to help providers, people, and communities overcome the barriers to implementing these valuable interventions.

1. Naloxone saves lives.

2. Medications for opioid use disorder can work.

3. Contingency management is an effective treatment for stimulant use disorders.

4. Syringe services programs (SSPs) greatly mitigate harms of opioid use.

5. Prevention interventions can have broad and lasting impact.

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