Update on the Clinical Trials Network [May 2007].

This presentation, by Betty Tai, Director of the Center for the Clinical Trials Network at NIDA, begins with a brief description of CTN history, its overall goals, and its rectified vision to bring drug abuse treatment into mainstream medical practice. It then describes the CTN research portfolio from 1999 to the present day. A few selected trials are presented with details of the rationales, the study results, and their subsequent impact on drug abuse practice in the community. The presentation also gives a brief update on new protocols, such as CTN-0032 (HIV Rapid Testing), reports on the status of the CTN Data Share site, and offers the latest usage statistics on the CTN Dissemination Library.

Additionally, it presents information about the “Blending Initiative” (a collaboration between NIDA, SAMHSA, and the Addiction Technology Transfer Centers), and a variety of studies using the CTN platform. The presentation ends with an update from the Oregon/Hawaii node, given as an example of how community treatment programs are using their CTN research experience to secure additional research funding from public and private sources.