NIH HEAL Initiative Concept: Developing an Evidence Base for OUD-AUD Interventions
Mark Egli, Ph.D.
May 09, 2023
Background
At least 30% of people with OUD also have AUD. Research projects dedicated to OUD treatment and prevention do not exclude subjects who drink, but seldom explicitly recruit subjects with AUD. Reciprocal relationships between opioid use and alcohol use sometimes seen in treatment contexts such that reduced opioid misuse and opioid agonist therapy tapering may result in increased drinking. Increased drinking may reflect other conditions associated with heightened opioid relapse and overdose risk.
Concept Goal
To develop an evidence base for a safe and effective arsenal of medication-assisted, psychosocial, and complementary interventions targeting distinct issues for people with OUD and AUD while considering frequently co-occurring conditions such as chronic pain and trauma exposure.
Concept Strategies
Expand subject recruitment in relevant OUD studies for greater representation of individuals with AUD to:
- Collect comprehensive data relevant to AUD in the context of ongoing OUD intervention studies
- Initiate new studies complementary to ongoing studies
- Perform secondary analysis of data from their studies or from archived data.
Current Status
The concept of Developing an Evidence Base for OUD-AUD Interventions was presented to the HEAL Multi-Disciplinary Working Group February 16, 2023, and was approved by the NIH HEAL Executive Committee