Buprenorphine is one of three medications (methadone and naltrexone being the other two) approved for use to treat opioid use disorder. It is available as a film or tablet, and more recently as two long-acting extended-release injectables.  Sublocade™ was first to be approved by the FDA in November 2017. More recently, in May 2023, Brixadi™ received approval. In January 2024 it was added to the WA state Medicaid formulary. Fewer clinicians have experience using Brixadi™ than Sublocade™. The CTN Pacific Northwest Node has developed a set of videos and information sheets to help prescribers in their conversations with patients interested in these buprenorphine options.   The videos (which are also available in an audio-only podcast format) cover the basics of extended-release buprenorphine, settings & access to medication, who could benefit, the different formulations that are available, how to get patients started, and provider and patient experiences. Find the complete set of educational materials here!

Shelly F. Greenfield, M.D., M.P.H.  was selected for the class of 2024-2025 in the Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowship. Through this Fellowship, Dr. Greenfield will devote time exploring gender-specific longitudinal trends in substance use disorders. Congratulations Dr. Greenfield on this exciting and prestigious Fellowship opportunity!    Read more about this year’s Harvard Radcliffe Institute Fellowships here!

Upcoming Telehealth (TH) & Telemedicine (TM) Special Interest Group (SIG) on 09/13/2024 @ 8:30am PT/11:30am ET (see flyer attached for additional information) Publication announcements:  

Penn State Health and University of Maryland are two sites selected to work on the HEAL funded study looking at the effectiveness of GLP-1 agonists as adjunctive treatment for OUD, slated to begin recruitment in the Fall.  Site PIs:  Sarah Kawasaki and Aaron Greenblatt/Eric Weintraub. posted on July 5, 2024

CPDD honored Jim Sorensen (who served as an MPI for the Western States Node of the CTN) and made the first James L. Sorensen Distinguished Treatment and Service Mentor award to Jeffery Samet, MD for his scientific leadership and his mentorship of addiction medicine physicians. Dr. Sorensen’s widow (Laurel Koepernik) and Jim’s brothers (Roger and Bryan) hosted a reception to present the award to Dr. Samet. The annual award remembers Jim Sorensen’s contributions to CPDD, his many years of mentoring clinicians and investigators, and his leadership in the development of Addiction Health Services and Implementation Research. Kim Hoffman, Todd Korthuis, Carmen Masson, and Dennis McCarty represented the Western States Node at the reception. Carmen Rosa (from the Center for the Clinical Trials Network) was also present.

The Appalachian Node has two new publications to report: Bulls HW, Hamm M, Wasilewski J, Olejniczak D, Bell SG, Liebschutz JM. “To prescribe or not to prescribe, that is the question”: Perspectives on opioid prescribing for chronic, cancer-related pain from clinicians who treat pain in survivorship. Cancer. 2024 Apr 3. doi: 10.1002/cncr.35299. PMID: 38567685. Jennings LK, Lander L, Lawdahl T, McClure EA, Moreland A, McCauley JL, Haynes L, Matheson T, Jones R, Robey TE, Kawasaki S, Moschella P, Raheemullah A, Miller S, Gregovich G, Waltman D, Brady KT, Barth KS. Characterization of peer support services for substance use disorders in 11 US emergency departments in 2020: findings from a NIDA clinical trials network site selection process. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2024 Apr 8;19(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s13722-024-00453-x. PMID: 38589934; PMCID: PMC11003047.

CTN-0129 Team presents at National Indian Health Board Conference Investigators and collaborating community partners for CTN-0129 “The Great Plains Initiative” presented a discussion panel about the study at the National Indian Health Board conference on May 22, 2024 in Rapid City, SD. The panel was moderated by Brynn Luger, PhD and included Lead Investigator Donald Warne, MD, MPH, T. John Winhusen, PhD, Gene Tyon, MA of Oaye Luta Okolakiciye, Barbara Dull Knife, BS of Wakanyeia Gluwitayan Otipi, and Ellen Durkin MSW of South Dakota Urban Indian Health. Allison Kelliher, MD joined the panel via Zoom. CTN-0129 Team Dr. Warne CTN-0129 Great Plains Initiative Panel

Greater Intermountain Node (GIN) Medical Clinician, Jasmin Charles, MPAS, PA-C, has been awarded the 2024 Physician Associate (PA) of the Year by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA). Read the AAPA PA of the Year Award announcement about Jasmin here. The AAPA PA of the Year Award honors PA’s who demonstrate exemplary service to the community; exemplify the PA profession’s philosophy of providing accessible, quality healthcare to all; and furthers the image of the profession in a positive, meaningful way. Jasmin is the Clinical Director of the SUPeRAD (Substance Use & Pregnancy, Recovery, Addiction, Dependence) clinic, Co-Investigator for the ELEVATE Maternal Center of Excellence, a visiting lecturer and lead coordinator for Women’s Health rotations for the University of Utah Physician Assistant Program, and a Medical Clinician on several research projects with the Greater Intermountain Node, including CTN-0080 and CTN-0100. “If we, as providers, would treat individuals as people—not as a condition, status, disease, circumstance, race, religion, or gender—then individuals can start to see past their trauma, begin to see value in themselves. This is why I show up to work every day: so that one by one, voices can be found, and lives can be saved.” – Jasmin Charles Jasmin’s efforts with the GIN, the University of Utah, and our community are unmatched. We are thrilled to see her recognized for all of her stellar work – very well deserved!