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CTN Primary Care SIG Webinar: Conducting Substance Use Research in Prison (March 23, 2026, 12pm ET)
The Primary Care SIG aims to engage primary care in research, develop substance use treatment interventions relevant to community-based practice, and promote the transfer of evidence-based results from substance use research into community-based practices. Next SIG Meeting: Conducting Substance Use Research in Prisons Presenter: Helen Jack, MD, Assistant Professor, University of Washington Join Zoom Meeting here Meeting ID: 943 3434 2090 Passcode: 370819 Primary Care SIG Schedule and Leadership The Primary Care SIG is led by Claire Simon, MD, and Sebastian Tong, MD, MPH, and meets every other month on the 4th Monday of the month from 9-10am PT/12-1pm ET. To join the Primary Care SIG webinar series listserv, please provide your contact information here. Posted on March 18, 2026
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New in the Library (February – March 2026)
Here are the latest items added to the CTN Dissemination Library for February – March 2026 (this post will be updated as new items come in): Randomized controlled pilot trial of extended-release buprenorphine vs. sublingual buprenorphine-naloxone in rural settings (RXR): Study rationale and design. Mooney LJ, et al. Contemporary Clinical Trials 2026;108288 (in press). (CTN-0102-XR) The association between sleep disturbance and stimulant use: A cross-lagged examination. Horigian VE, et al. Addiction 2026 (in press). (CTN-0037, CTN-0048, CTN-0068) Perspectives on clinical champions implementing hospital-based opioid treatment in US hospitals. Peng L, et al. JAMA Network Open 2026;9(3):e260446. (CTN-0098) Patient impressions of opioid-related printouts, discussions and care in a primary care clinical decision support system implementation trial. Rossom RC, et al. Proceedings of the 596h Hawaii International Conference on Science Systems 2026. (CTN-0095) Primary care clinicians’ perspectives on an electronic health record-integrated clinical decision support tool for opioid use disorder. Barg G, et al. Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment 2026 (in press). (CTN-0095) Extended-release vs sublingual buprenorphine in pregnancy through 12 months post partum: A randomized clinical trial. Winhusen TJ, et al. JAMA Internal Medicine 2026 (in press). (CTN-0080 primary outcomes) Brief report: Meth, tranq, gas station heroin & other drugs complicating addiction treatment. Winstanley EL, et al. American Journal on Addiction 2026 (in press). (CTN-0135) External validation of Epic’s risk of opioid abuse and overdose model among primary care patients in three health systems. Hooker SA, et al. Journal of General Internal Medicine 2026 (in press). (CTN-0095) Posted…
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News from the Appalachian Node: Brief Report for CTN-0135 Published
New Node Coordinator for the Appalachian Node: The Appalachian Node is excited to welcome Ellen Kline (ellenkline@pitt.edu) as our Node Coordinator. The Brief Report for CTN-0135 has been published: Winstanley EL, Leibschutz JM, Murray-Krezan C, Switzer GE, Nash S, Kawasaki S. Brief Report: Meth, Tranq, Gas Station Heroin & Other Drugs Complicating Addiction Treatment. American Journal on the Addictions 2026, 1-4. DOI: 10.1111/ajad.70151. The report describes the results of a single survey item from a national survey (n=396) that was conducted for CTN-0135 using a random sample of clinicians waivered to prescribe buprenorphine in the U.S. The item collected information about clinicians’ perceptions of other drugs, besides illicitly manufactured fentanyl, complicating treatment. Clinicians reported methamphetamine (86.4%), synthetic cannabinoids (42.7%), and xylazine (41.4%) were complicating treatment. Reports varied by geographic region. The study demonstrates that rapid clinician surveys can provide real-time data on changing patterns of drug use’s impact on treatment outcomes. Posted on March 17, 2026
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News from the Health System Node: Webinar about Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Mental Health (April 2, 2026, 10am PT)
Join the Health Systems Node for the next installment of their Seminar Series: Effects of Cannabis Legalization on Mental Health and Substance Use in Adults and Thoughts on Future Directions in Cannabis Research Thursday, April 2, 2026, 10am PT / 1pm ET Dr. Christian Hopfer, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and addiction psychiatrist, will briefly review the pharmacology of cannabinoids, present results of a recently completed study on the effects of cannabis legalization on mental health and substance use, and discuss ongoing projects including a randomized clinical trial of cannabidiol as a possible harm reduction intervention for cannabis use disorder in young adults. He will also discuss future directions for cannabis research with a particular emphasis on how large health system records could be leveraged to address critical questions in cannabis research. Join the meeting hereMeeting ID: 250 658 877 216 6Passcode: B8jq2m9A Posted on March 17, 2026
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New in the PATHS Toolkit: Workbook on OUD and Pregnancy
The Prenatal Action for Taking Healthy Steps (PATHS) toolkit, developed out of protocol CTN-0080-A3 (led by the Ohio Valley Node), offers evidence-based educational resources about the use of medication to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) during and after pregnancy. Toolkit materials include flyers, info sheets, posters, an education video, social media images and short videos (“Reels”) for download and sharing, and a discussion guide that can be used to direct conversations about MOUD in pregnant/postpartum people either in a group or individual settings, as well as a set of external links and resources that can be helpful to the public. Materials are available in Spanish, as well as a version culturally adapted for American Indian/Alaska Native communities. New Workbook for Pregnant People The toolkit now also features a downloadable workbook: Steps to Set You and Your Baby on the PATH to Success. This 14-page workbook aims to help pregnant people learn more about managing opioid use disorder during pregnancy to ensure they and their baby are healthy. It includes information, activities to test their knowledge and help them think through their feelings and beliefs, and a resource list for learning more. The new workbook is also available in Spanish and a culturally-adapted version for AI/AN communities. Check out the PATHS Toolkit and new Workbook here!
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News from the Pacific Northwest Node: Low-Dose Ketamine Reduces Fentanyl Withdrawal Symptoms
A new Addiction Science and Clinical Practice paper co-authored by Pacific Northwest Node researchers Crystal Smith and Cindy Grande describes a new, reliable strategy that allows fentanyl users to start treatment without prolonged suffering: low-dose ketamine. Fentanyl continues to cause the majority of drug overdoses in the U.S. Buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), is effective and saves lives, but people often avoid it for fear of painful opioid withdrawal symptoms that can occur when starting the medication. The paper, published in early February, reports on a (non-CTN) study that found an extremely low intramuscular dose of ketamine before starting patients on buprenorphine led to a rapid and significant reduction of withdrawal symptoms in nearly all patients using fentanyl — with no side effects. Most patients could then immediately start buprenorphine without a return of withdrawal symptoms. In emergency departments, a high dose of ketamine, causing intense drowsiness, has been shown to reverse withdrawal symptoms after starting buprenorphine. This study was the first to find that an undetectably low dose of ketamine could both relieve fentanyl withdrawal and prevent renewed symptoms after starting buprenorphine. Read the paper, published in Addiction Science and Clinical Practice Posted on March 3, 2026
