The 2024 CTN Annual Scientific Meeting is being held in-person at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia, from October 21–23, 2024. For those unable to attend in person, all plenary sessions and some breakout sessions will be broadcast via Zoom. The level of interaction available virtually will vary by session. Registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendees. Important Links Individuals with disabilities who need sign language interpreting and/or other reasonable accommodations to participate in this event, should contact Sean Randol at (240) 863-0507 or srandol@leedmci.com  or through the Federal Relay (1-800-877-8339). Requests should be made at least five business days in advance of the event. Please contact the LMCi Logistics Team at ctnsupport@leedmci.com with questions. We are excited about being in person and look forward to seeing you at this important meeting!

In Case You Missed It The recording for July’s CTN Youth SIG webinar, Suicide and Cannabis Use Among Youth & Young Adults, featuring presenters Christopher Hammond and Jesse Hinckley, is now available in the CTN Dissemination Library! Find the recording and abstract here! Coming Next The CTN Youth SIG is pleased to invite you to two upcoming presentations in 2024 (all dates are at 11am-12pm ET): Sept 20 – Dr. Sivabalaji KaliamurthyNov 15 – Dr. Velma Murry Both meetings can be accessed via Zoom: Zoom link: https://dartmouth.zoom.us/j/94616304667?pwd=MHhGUjBzcmVNUVVlV1IyT0hjR3YrUT09Meeting ID: 946 1630 4667Passcode: 047757

Primary Care SIG Update: New Page The Primary Care SIG has a new page up on the CTN Dissemination Library website, with information about the SIG’s objectives and when it meets. Check the page out here and reach out to Maria Prado (pradom@uw.edu) if you have any questions or want to participate in their webinar series (the 4th Monday of the month from 9-10 am PT!). New Recording from the Youth SIG Did you miss the Youth SIG’s recent webinar, Substance Use Among Black Adolescents – Maximizing Strengths and Overcoming Barriers in Substance Use Prevention, presented by Kammarauche Aneni, MD, MHS last May? Find the recording on their SIG page here! In a SIG? Interested in joining a SIG? The CTN Library is here to help! Check out all our Special Interest Group pages to learn more about what SIGs are available and when they meet, and if you’re involved in a SIG already, don’t forget that the CTN Library would love to help promote what you’re doing! We can use our social media, blog, and the CTN Bulletin (usually published mid-month) to market your webinars, share your recordings, and help you recruit SIG members! Reach out any time at ctnlib@uw.edu to send us anything you’d like us to share!

The National Institute on Drug Abuse Clinical Trials Network Dissemination Initiative (NIDA CTN DI) promotes the adoption of evidence-based practices and research on substance use disorders into clinical practice.  For one recent project, NIDA CTN DI staff partnered with nationally known subject-matter experts in opioid use disorder (OUD) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to create a four-part podcast series available for continuing medical education (CME) credit. The series, called Buprenorphine Initiation in the Emergency Department: Why, When, and How? takes hospital leaders and emergency department teams through the clinical evidence, the technology, and the community referral networks necessary to implement a successful emergency department-based buprenorphine initiation program. The final podcast of the series offers advice from the CEO of a large medical system who brought buprenorphine treatment to its emergency departments along with other successful OUD treatment initiatives. Bringing these kinds of projects to life follows a consistent process: The NIDA CCTN team works with Bizzell US to identify studies with clinical implications. They also collaborate with health care organizations that synthesize evidence-based research into tools and resources for clinicians, patients, and communities, such as a video and an infographic (also available in Spanish) about the dangers of fentanyl produced with the University of Pennsylvania Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy. Please visit the CTN Dissemination Initiative webpage to learn more about how NIDA CTN DI can help translate study findings into tools and resources that benefit clinicians, patients, and communities. For more information about…

NIDA Director Nora Volkow, MD, has a new commentary piece out in the American Journal of Psychiatry: Drugs and Addiction Science: NIDA Celebrates 50 Years of Research and Looks to the Future (published online May 6, 2024, doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20230880) From the piece: The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)—first established in 1974 as part of the Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Mental Health Administration and in 1992 becoming part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—is the largest funder of research on drug use and addiction in the world. Over its 50-year history, NIDA’s work has led to tremendous progress in advancing science and improving individual and public health. But the overdose epidemic at hand is a powerful reminder that there is much more to be done. Commemorating NIDA’s 50th anniversary provides an opportunity to acknowledge the significant advances that have been made in addiction science, as well as take stock of the remaining gaps and challenges and affirm our commitment to championing research that can improve the lives of those who are at risk or suffer from a substance use disorder (SUD). Read the complete article here.(Need help getting a copy? Contact the CTN Dissemination Librarian at ctnlib@uw.edu.)

Join the Center for the Clinical Trials Network (CCTN) on Tuesday, September 26, 2023 from 4:00-5:30pm ET for a virtual Xylazine Discussion Forum for CTN investigators. Speakers Jeanmarie Perrone, MD (University of Pennsylvania) and Rachel Haroz, MD (Cooper University and Rowan University) will highlight the emerging threat of xylazine in the U.S. illicit drug supply, summarize emerging practices for treating people taking xylazine-adulterated opioids, and discuss research gaps and opportunities identified in a recent meeting of experts convened by NIDA. CTN researchers will be encouraged to participate in discussion and Q&A. View the recordings from this event here! Posted August 14, 2023, Updated September 2023