Heroin News and Research

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Heroin is a very addictive chemical called diacetylmorphine. Heroin is a modified form of morphine, a highly abundant opium derived from the seedpods of the poppy plant.

Vaccine blocks cocaine high in mice - human trials likely

Researchers have produced a lasting anti-cocaine immunity in mice by giving them a safe vaccine that combines bits of the common cold virus with a particle that mimics cocaine.

4 Jan 2011

New study shows striking changes, variations by region in admission rates for substance abuse treatment

Although the overall rate of admissions to substance abuse treatment in the U.S. remained stable between 1998 and 2008, at about 770 admissions for every 100,000 persons in the population, a new study shows striking changes and variations in admission rates by region. For example, the rate of admissions for alcohol as the primary drug has declined by 15 percent nationally. However admission rates for alcohol in West North Central states (Ark., Iowa, Kan., Minn., Mo., N.D., Neb. and S.D.) remained the same.

24 Dec 2010

Lightlake acquires US Patent for method of terminating methadone maintenance

Lightlake Therapeutics Inc has acquired US Patent 5,587,381, entitled: 'Method for terminating methadone maintenance through extinction of the opiate-taking responses', using an opioid antagonist as treatment. The Patent also covers treatment for addiction to other legally available opioids and to stimulant drugs such as Cocaine and Amphetamines.

17 Dec 2010

Preliminary results from Phase 1b/2a trial of MediciNova's ibudilast in opioid addicts announced

Drug addiction investigators with joint appointments at Columbia University Medical Center and the New York State Psychiatric Institute along with MediciNova Inc, a biopharmaceutical company publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global Market and the Jasdaq Market of the Osaka Securities Exchange, today reported preliminary results of the company's neurological drug candidate, ibudilast (MN-166/AV411), in a Phase 1b/2a trial in opioid addicts. The study was largely funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) with MediciNova supplementation.

14 Dec 2010

Using buprenorphine to treat opioid-dependent pregnant women may result in healthier babies

Using buprenorphine instead of methadone — the current standard of care — to treat opioid-dependent pregnant women may result in healthier babies, suggests new findings from an international team led by Johns Hopkins researchers and published in the Dec. 9 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

10 Dec 2010

International Harm Reduction Conference to focus on HIV/AIDS epidemic

Injecting drug use and growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in Middle East and North Africa region to be focus of the International Harm Reduction conference taking place in Beirut, Lebanon April 3-7 2011

30 Nov 2010

Researchers examine burden of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases in China

A new study by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health examines the burden of HIV and sexually transmitted disease among male clients of the commercial sex industry in China's Sichuan province

9 Nov 2010

Alcohol - the worst drug!

A new study shows that alcohol abuse is by far the worst habit to have when compared to other recreational drugs like crack or heroin. Neuropharmacologist David Nutt, of Imperial College London who is also a former British government drug advisor and his team rated 20 different drugs on a scale that takes into account the various harms caused by a drug. Drugs are rated on the nine harms a drug causes to an individual and seven harms a drug causes to the society. The scale was developed by a panel of experts called the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ICSD), ranges from 0 (no harm) to 100 (greatest possible harm). It is weighted so that a drug that scores 50 is half as harmful as a drug that scores 100.

1 Nov 2010

Kings Cross drug injecting center gains permanent status

After much debate the parliament’s upper house voted to maintain the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Kings Cross permanently this week on Wednesday. The votes stood 22 -15 for the centre to be given permanent status. This followed approval for a change from trial to permanent status by the lower house last week.

27 Oct 2010

Reuters examines how harm reduction policies in Switzerland could serve as model for reducing spread of HIV/AIDS among IDUs

Switzerland's innovative policy of providing drug addicts with free methadone and clean needles has greatly reduced deaths while cutting crime rates and should serve as a global model, health experts said on Monday, Reuters reports in an article that examines the outcomes of drug policy reform in the country

27 Oct 2010

UCLA researchers receive NIH grant to study HIV-positive men from LA County jails

A team of UCLA researchers has received a $4.6 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study ways to get HIV-positive men who have been released from Los Angeles County jails into medical care and on sustained treatment.

22 Oct 2010

Few legitimate opioid users are getting information to keep medications safe

For some people with ongoing or chronic pain, opioids (medications such as oxycodone or hydrocodone) can make the difference between disability and the ability to function at near-normal levels. For those with acute pain, such as pain after surgery or injury, sound pain management with opioids can speed healing and recovery.

19 Oct 2010

Omeros receives additional NIDA grant for clinical studies in Addiction program

Omeros Corporation today announced that the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has provided an additional grant to fund clinical studies for the Company's Addiction program. This grant, which is for a total of approximately $3.6 million to be paid over a four-year period in equal amounts, will fund direct and indirect costs of Phase 2 clinical studies to be conducted by researchers at the New York State Psychiatric Institute.

14 Oct 2010

Buprenorphine implant decreases opioid usage in persons with opioid dependence

Helping to address the issue of medication adherence, persons with opioid dependence who had the medication buprenorphine implanted had less opioid use over 16 weeks, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Oct 2010

The Partnership at Drugfree.org issues statement on FDA approval of VIVITROL for opioid dependence

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of Alkermes' opioid dependence medication (VIVITROL) for the prevention of relapse to opioid dependence following opioid detoxification is positive news for families of young adults and all those who are struggling to overcome opioid addiction. Addiction, a disease of the human brain, is a chronic illness while opioid dependence is frequently characterized by relapse.

13 Oct 2010

JAMA publishes Probuphine Phase 3 clinical trial data

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that data from its previously completed and announced Phase 3 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of Probuphine were published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

13 Oct 2010

Alkermes' VIVITROL medication for treatment of opioid dependence

Alkermes, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved VIVITROL(naltrexone for extended-release injectable suspension) for the prevention of relapse to opioid dependence, following opioid detoxification.

13 Oct 2010

FDA approves Vivitrol for treatment of opioid-dependent patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Vivitrol to treat and prevent relapse after patients with opioid dependence have undergone detoxification treatment.

13 Oct 2010

Research on spatial memories may lead to potential treatments for addiction and obesity

A researcher from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta has discovered a mechanism underlying some forms of obesity and addictions which could lead to a treatment for both diseases.

5 Oct 2010

Nicotine reduction strategy should be an urgent research priority

After a major review of scientific information, six leading tobacco research and policy experts have concluded that a nicotine reduction strategy should be an urgent research priority because of its potential to profoundly reduce the death and disease from tobacco use. Their findings were published today in the journal Tobacco Control.

4 Oct 2010