Treatment of Substance Use Disorders
Use of addictive substances impacts several hundred million people worldwide. The United Nations World Drug Report 2020 estimates that in the period 2009–2018 the number of past-year users of any drug grew from 210 million to 269 million globally, representing an increase of more than 25%. Among the 269 million, 35 million suffer from drug use disorders, with one in seven being able to access treatment.
Likewise, Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) contributes to significant disease and mortality. An estimated 283 million people are affected by AUD worldwide, with the highest percentage in Europe and the Americas, and lowest in the Middle East and Africa. Harmful alcohol use results in 3 million deaths each year, approximately 5.3% of all deaths globally. It is related to more than 200 diseases and disproportionately impacts people 20-39 years old. Alcohol dependence syndrome treatment coverage rises globally in proportion to national income, with lower income countries having almost no access to alcohol use disorder treatments. Likewise, these areas of the world often have no access to alcohol use disorder or alcoholism medication.
Clinical Research Experience
Over the course of 7 years, BioFicher has developed strong networks and relationships with organizations and key opinion leaders across a variety of settings (e.g., primary care, emergency departments, community-based outpatient specialty clinics, and rural treatment centers) involved in clinical research and treatment relating to substance use.
As part of our mission to advance the public health, we partner with institutions such as the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to address the challenges of substance use. For over fifteen years we have supported the NIDA National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN), operating as its Clinical Coordinating Center beginning in 2005 and its Data and Statistics Center since 2009.
BioFicher has experience with many of the pharmaco-therapeutic agents and behavioral interventions used to treat substance use. Our experience includes 50+ studies across a variety of substance use research, including opioids, methamphetamine, cocaine and other stimulants, cannabis, and drug/alcohol combinations. We also have experience with research on substance abuse in adolescence.
In addition to managing clinical research studies, BioFicher’ experience includes collection, management and analysis of TimeLine Follow back (TLFB) data; standardization work leading to the creation of substance use-related Common Data Elements; and supporting data harmonization. Currently we are focused on research funded by the NIH HEAL Initiative to combat the national opioid public health crisis.
Substance Use Leaders
