NIHR and OLS fund innovative research to help tackle drug deaths
- 17 October 2024
- 4 min read
NIHR has awarded funding to four innovative new projects focused on reducing harm from illegal drugs. The projects are being funded through the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme, led by the Office for Life Science (OLS).
The new research into improved opioid substitution approaches, novel psychotherapy approaches, artificial intelligence and wearable technology could help to save thousands of lives by improving treatment and reducing harms and the risk of drug-related deaths.
The projects were awarded almost £7m in funding through the NIHR Invention for Innovation (i4i) Addiction: Innovation for Treatment and Recovery Awards.
The research is being funded through the Addiction Healthcare Goals programme, which is run by OLS. The programme forms a part of the Department of Health and Social Care’s ambition to deliver a world-class treatment and recovery system for people experiencing drug and alcohol addictions.
One project, the Prison Release Engagement Trial, will use artificial intelligence to refine and test an interactive smartphone app for former prisoners. The research aims to improve continuity of care post-release for prisoners working to stay drug free.
Another study will look at using virtual reality to help people overcome their triggers for cocaine addiction. People will be assessed using watch-like devices to determine which cues in their environment lead to a drug craving, by measuring physical changes to the body.
Virtual reality will then be used to create realistic situations to repeatedly expose people to triggers in a safe environment. Previous research shows cue exposure treatment (CET) can significantly reduce the level of craving and relapse among alcoholics, but it has not yet been fully explored for people experiencing a cocaine addiction until now.
Professor Mike Lewis, NIHR’s Scientific Director for Innovation, said: “Innovation in managing addiction is needed to break the pattern of prison relapse and rebound and the wider impacts of addiction on society. Interventions, including AI, that allow management in the community need this research to validate their potential so we can implement them at scale.”
Minister for Public Health and Prevention, Andrew Gwynne said: “Drug addiction devastates lives and rips apart families, and this government is committed to gripping this problem.
“We’re determined to harness the full potential of cutting-edge technology to save thousands of lives across the country. I want the UK to lead the way in championing innovation to end the harmful effects of addiction.”
Professor Anne Lingford-Hughes, Chair of the Addiction Healthcare Goals, said:
“New approaches to treat drug addiction and reduce drug related deaths, particularly from overdose, are urgently needed. The Addiction Healthcare Goals programme is pleased to fund promising innovations that have brought together partnerships between industry, academia and organisations involved in delivering treatment and care for those experiencing drug addictions.
“Establishing such collaborations also enhances the UK’s research capacity and ability to deliver novel patient research. This lays firm foundations for the UK to accelerate the development and testing of effective innovations to use in routine care to save lives, reduce harms, and benefit society.”
New projects funded by i4i and OLS
Investigating the use of psilocybin to treat opioid use disorder
This research project is being led by Dr David Erritzoe and Dr Louise Paterson at Imperial College London. The research focuses on investigating whether psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, alongside psychological support, can help prevent relapse in individuals recovering from opioid dependence, including heroin. The study will be supported by an in-kind donation from Filament Health, a Canadian-based natural psychedelics drug development company.
Developing a virtual reality-enhanced treatment integrated with a wearable device to improve outcomes for people with cocaine dependence
Professor Paolo Deluca at King's College London is investigating ways to tackle cocaine cravings that are triggered by cues in a person’s environment. The team will use virtual reality ‘cue exposure treatment’ that is tailored to individuals’ experiences. They will then test a watch-like device that can identify when a person is experiencing craving, and provide support remotely.
The research is a collaboration between the Addictions Department, IoPPN Virtual Lab, and the Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics at King’s College London, as well as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Research at the University of Hull, the University of Kent, the University of Birmingham, and the University of Southampton.
Prison Release Engagement Trial (PRET): testing App-coordinated daily bot contact to improve prison-release continuity of care
Professor Sir John Strang, working with co-lead Dr Julia Rozanova and their team at King's College London, will use artificial intelligence to refine and test an interactive smartphone app for former prisoners. The research aims to improve continuity of care post-release for prisoners working to stay drug free.
The researchers are working with Contingency Management Innovations (CMI) on the app development and delivery, and with government departments for planning of the future recruitment of prisons and prison release continuity of care. They are collaborating with Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust on the project.
BUILD2depot: developing safe rapid transfer to depot medication and remote community-based monitoring
Dr Nicola Kalk, working with co-lead Professor Sir John Strang and their team at King's College London, is developing a better way for people with opioid dependence to switch from methadone treatment to buprenorphine long-acting injection (LAIB). LAIB can be safer than methadone and may be easier to reduce and stop.
The research team is working with Contingency Management Innovations (CMI) on an app to monitor patients, using chest sensors developed by Pneumowave. The project is a collaboration with Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
