Current evidence shows that medications are underused in the treatment of alcohol use disorder, including alcohol abuse and dependence.

Although many experts in addiction believe that patients with moderate or severe alcohol-related problems should be offered medication-assisted treatment (MAT) on a routine basis, considerable resistance to the use of MAT persists.

To clarify the situation, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) analysed the evidence on the effectiveness of available...

Abstract

Importance: The number of children with prenatal opioid exposure to medication for addiction treatment (MAT) with methadone and buprenorphine for maternal opioid use disorder is increasing, but the associations of this exposure with cognitive outcomes are not well understood.

Objective: To examine the strength and consistency of findings in the medical literature regarding the association of prenatal exposure to MAT with early childhood cognitive development, particularly when accounting for variables outside MAT exposure.

Data Sources: A search strategy obtained publications...

The success of treatment and recovery of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) can vary. Most often, a combination of factors adds complexities to evaluating the effectiveness of services and interventions.

Worldwide, overdose is the leading cause of avoidable death among people who inject drugs. An important area of concern for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is promoting policies and practices to lower the risk of overdose for persons with opioid use disorder who are, or have been, in contact with criminal justice systems.

Following...