At the #CPDD22 mini-symposium on #gabapentin talks about considerable research highlighting potential for SUD treatment but also high rates of identification in overdose. Prescribing continues to increase yet diversion appears to trend down after regulatory changes 1/ 2/ anecdotal reports of #gabapentin enhancing opioid effects and reducing withdrawal. Motivation for use is a mix of non-medical use with other substances and therapeutic motivations e.g. to self manage pain/withdrawal

Really important study being presented by Staci Gruber at #CPDD22 which longitudinally assesses a whole range of functioning in cannabis naive ppl before and following use of medical cannabis (now 3 years of follow up funded) 1/ 2/ most interested in use for pain, detailed info collected on cannabinoid use..including developing the cannacount metric to measure cannabinoid use

David Ledgerwood talks about a pharmacist delivered contingency management in people with HIV who smoke - and of course I am super excited to see #pharmacists deliver these interventions #cpdd22 1/ 2/ can pharmacists be trained to deliver contingency management for smoking cessation?

"Won't giving people #naloxone increase their drug use?" I get this question almost every time I deliver training to healthcare professionals. Superstar student @WaiChungTse1 led this systematic review to examine this common concern 1/ (FREE to download)
authors.elsevier.com/c/1e5JG_LkIBSl… 2/ So what did we do? We looked for studies where substance use and overdose was measured before and after naloxone provision. We found no evidence that take-home naloxone leads to increased substance use or overdose. 1 study found reduced ED attendances following naloxone supply

Last session for me today at @APSAD40 on prescription opioids, treatment, and prescription drug monitoring programs. First up - a mini-symposium with @PPrathivadi , @LouisaPicco and @Sarah_Haines_ .. lets see if I can pull out a few key findings 1/ 2/ First up @PPrathivadi talking about GPs use of PDMP, benefits for informing prescribing but challenges with reluctance to use technology - also check out this super commentary with @Sarah_Haines_ in the @AusJPrimHealth on evaluation considerations
publish.csiro.au/py/PY20296

Last afternoon of #APSAD40! It is a joy to chair this session on #overdose - lots of key learnings and great work in the prevention space. Here are a couple of highlights from the session 1/ 2/ Louisa Durrant (NUM at Melaleuca, @qldhealthnews) spoke about lessons learned supplying take-home naloxone in the opioid treatment program in QLD. Despite many having experienced an overdose, few had access to naloxone before the pilot, and consumers valued being offered THN.

What's new in take-home #naloxone in Australia? 1/ Ange Matheson from @NSWHealth explains the NSW model which allows a whole range of workers and non-medical services across the NSW (e.g. those working NGOs without pharmacists or doctors on staff) to supply naloxone #APSAD40 2/ Tegan Nuckey from Queensland (QuIHN) talks about their #naloxone program, adapted from the WA model.. now funded until 2023 (but no recurrent funding). Hopefully a national program will be funded by then! No cost, script, no ID - addressing key barriers.

Big last day of #APSAD40 today for #opioid research. I'll be presenting in a symposium of #naloxone today, and then super excited to chair two sessions on #overdose and prescription #opioid treatment ... a couple of highlights include ... 1/ 2/ New research on the implementation of prescription monitoring in Victoria with @LouisaPicco @PPrathivadi and @Sarah_Haines_ (all superstar PhD researchers in the @MonashAddiction crew)

It's that time of year again, when I score grant apps for much of the weekend, and late into the weeknights too. Again, as I do each year, I implore you, grant writers, please do not use lots of acronyms in your grants, and don't make up your own acronyms. 1/ #AcademicTwitter 2/ This is particularly so for multidisciplinary grants. It is impossible that a panel member will be expert in every discipline, and you would be surprised how many acronyms mean different things in different disciplines.

Advice from the DHHS about maintaining continuity for pharmacotherapy treatment is here. Key principals include writing prescriptions for longer (with regular phone check-ins with patients) and increased TA doses where clinically appropriate (1/3)
bit.ly/3e4EpSu Guidance to support assessing appropriateness for additional takeaways are here. Where clinically appropriate, increasing takeaways means that people can stay safe at home and travel pharmacies. #Naloxone is recommended with takeaways bit.ly/2UQgmiy (2/3)