Addiction News and Research

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Study could boost development of personalised medicine in cancer care and therapy

A team of scientists led by Associate Professor Zeng Qi from A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology have discovered a new biomarker which will help physicians predict how well cancer patients respond to cancer drugs. Having the means to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from currently available cancer drugs not only reduces substantially the healthcare cost for the patient, it could mean saving precious lives by getting the right drugs to the right patient at the onset of the treatment.

7 Aug 2013

Expansion of heroin, opioid medical treatment needed to reduce overdose deaths

A new report from Simon Fraser University researcher Bohdan Nosyk calls for the expansion of heroin and opioid medical treatment to stem the increase of overdose deaths.

7 Aug 2013

Scientists discover biomarker that helps physicians predict how well cancer patients respond to drugs

A team of scientists led by Associate Professor Zeng Qi from A*STAR's Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) have discovered a new biomarker which will help physicians predict how well cancer patients respond to cancer drugs.

7 Aug 2013

Prolonged exposure therapy does not increase drinking in PTSD and alcohol dependent patients

Contrary to past concerns, using prolonged exposure therapy to treat patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comorbid alcohol dependence does not increase drinking or cravings, Penn Medicine psychiatrists report in the August 7 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence/human rights.

7 Aug 2013

NSM Insurance Group establishes specialty Behavioral Health, Social Services Unit

NSM Insurance Group announced the establishment of a specialty Behavioral Health, Social Services Unit due to NSM's remarkable growth in this niche over the last 5 years. Bill McKernan, NSM President commented, "It made perfect sense that our Retail clients benefit from the vast expertise NSM has in this space so we created a team comprised of NSM's most experienced Behavioral Health and Social Service Insurance Professionals."

6 Aug 2013

Study: Online game companies need to be more socially responsible

Online game companies need to be more socially responsible for over-addictive use of their products to avoid government intervention, according to a new study by Cardiff, Derby and Nottingham Trent universities.

6 Aug 2013

Virginia Tech addiction expert receives $3.2 million grant to help smokers quit cigarettes

Warren Bickel, an internationally recognized addiction expert at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute, recently received a $3.2-million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse for research on improving self-control in smokers seeking to quit cigarettes. The grant will provide Bickel's team with $573,000 to $716,000 a year over five years to develop innovative new ways to enhance the smokers' ability to abstain from acting on their nicotine cravings.

6 Aug 2013

Chinese meditation can reduce smoking

By using a type of meditation developed in China, smokers can reduce their tobacco use even when they don't intend to do so, according to new research done by Texas Tech University and the University of Oregon.

6 Aug 2013

Alcohol use increases risk of dopamine response in brain pathway

Research from McGill University suggests that people who are vulnerable to developing alcoholism exhibit a distinctive brain response when drinking alcohol, according to a new study by Prof. Marco Leyton, of McGill University's Department of Psychiatry.

3 Aug 2013

New findings could enable development of effective drugs for addiction with fewer side effects

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute have described findings that could enable the development of more effective drugs for addiction with fewer side effects.

3 Aug 2013

Protein linked to learning induces cocaine addiction, say researchers

A team of researchers says it has solved the longstanding puzzle of why a key protein linked to learning is also needed to become addicted to cocaine. Results of the study, published in the Aug. 1 issue of the journal Cell, describe how the learning-related protein works with other proteins to forge new pathways in the brain in response to a drug-induced rush of the “pleasure” molecule dopamine.

2 Aug 2013

New NIH projects to target Fragile X syndrome, nicotine addiction and AMD

The National Institutes of Health has launched three innovative projects that will focus on development of therapeutics for Fragile X syndrome, nicotine addiction, and age-related macular degeneration. These projects are funded through the NIH Blueprint Neurotherapeutics Network which provides access to a variety of drug development resources.

1 Aug 2013

FDA grants orphan-drug designation to Convergence's CNV1014802 for treatment of TN

Convergence Pharmaceuticals Limited, the company focused on the development of novel and high value analgesic medicines for the treatment of chronic pain, is pleased to announce that its novel sodium channel blocker, CNV1014802 ('802), has been granted orphan-drug designation by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

30 Jul 2013

Mandating outpatient treatment for people with severe mental illness results in cost savings

Mandating outpatient treatment for certain people with severe mental illness, while controversial, results in substantial cost savings by cutting hospitalizations and increasing outpatient care, according to a financial analysis led by researchers at Duke Medicine.

30 Jul 2013

Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to smoke cigarettes

Children who grow up in poverty are more likely than wealthier children to smoke cigarettes, but they are less likely to binge drink and are no more prone to use marijuana, according to researchers at Duke Medicine.

30 Jul 2013

Some warn of 'overwhelming' mental illness care cost without new research investment

Scientists warn health systems could face "overwhelming" costs of treating mental illness if no new money is invested in research.

26 Jul 2013

Miriam researcher calls for new strategies to better manage, improve treatment for HCV infection

A Miriam Hospital researcher has joined forces with international colleagues to call for new strategies to better manage and improve assessment and treatment for hepatitis C (HCV) infection in individuals who inject drugs.

26 Jul 2013

FDA seeks additional information to make informed decisions about menthol in cigarettes

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking additional information to help the agency make informed decisions about menthol in cigarettes. Despite decades of work to reduce tobacco use in the United States, it continues to be the leading cause of preventable death and disease.

24 Jul 2013

Study reveals correlation between premature death and mental illness in people with epilepsy

People with epilepsy are ten times more likely to die early, before their mid-fifties, compared with the general population, according to a 41 year study in Sweden published today in the Lancet and part-funded by the Wellcome Trust.

22 Jul 2013

Research roundup: Eye care disparities; more complications for Medicaid patients after spine surgery; the cost to states opting against Medicaid expansion

After analyzing 2003-2004 data of patients who underwent spinal surgery at two medical institutions, they found that Medicaid beneficiaries were at much higher risk of experiencing any type of complication than patients who are privately insured. "The results of our study further support the growing body of literature that Medicaid patients have higher rates of complications," the authors write. When evaluating patients and considering the likelihood of complications, "Medicaid status should be considered as well," they concluded (Hacquebord et al., 7/15).

20 Jul 2013

Addiction News and Research

Study could boost development of personalised medicine in cancer care and therapy

Expansion of heroin, opioid medical treatment needed to reduce overdose deaths

Scientists discover biomarker that helps physicians predict how well cancer patients respond to drugs

Prolonged exposure therapy does not increase drinking in PTSD and alcohol dependent patients

NSM Insurance Group establishes specialty Behavioral Health, Social Services Unit

Study: Online game companies need to be more socially responsible

Virginia Tech addiction expert receives $3.2 million grant to help smokers quit cigarettes

Chinese meditation can reduce smoking

Alcohol use increases risk of dopamine response in brain pathway

New findings could enable development of effective drugs for addiction with fewer side effects

Protein linked to learning induces cocaine addiction, say researchers

New NIH projects to target Fragile X syndrome, nicotine addiction and AMD

FDA grants orphan-drug designation to Convergence's CNV1014802 for treatment of TN

Mandating outpatient treatment for people with severe mental illness results in cost savings

Children who grow up in poverty are more likely to smoke cigarettes

Some warn of 'overwhelming' mental illness care cost without new research investment

Miriam researcher calls for new strategies to better manage, improve treatment for HCV infection

FDA seeks additional information to make informed decisions about menthol in cigarettes

Study reveals correlation between premature death and mental illness in people with epilepsy

Research roundup: Eye care disparities; more complications for Medicaid patients after spine surgery; the cost to states opting against Medicaid expansion

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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