NIH Details Opioid Addiction Research Plan

National Institutes of Health officials outlined their plan to address the opioid addiction crisis in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

They said the Helping to End Addiction Long Term (HEAL) Initiative will focus on improving treatments for opioid addiction and misuse and on developing better pain management strategies.

Specific elements will include reformulating medication-assisted treatment programs to promote adherence, supporting research into non-addictive pain management therapies and developing extended-release and longer-acting opioid-use disorder medications.