New and improved medications In one or two years, we can anticipate new formulations of the existing addiction medications buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone. This includes long-lasting “depot” injections so people who do not live close to a treatment facility can take advantage of these effective medications and better comply with their treatment. Vaccines, which bind to opioids in the bloodstream to prevent them from reaching the brain, are another innovative new tool that will take longer to develop. In addition, NIH remains committed to studying new and effective ways behavioral therapies can support adherence to medications and promote sustained recovery.
Also on the drawing board are new overdose-reversal tools, including stronger and longer-acting formulations of naloxone and other compounds. These can reverse overdoses of powerful synthetic opioids like fentanyl. Other research will focus on the development of wearable devices that can detect an overdose when it is occurring and automatically intervene and signal for help. Getting funding Freeing the medical field from its reliance on addictive opioid analgesics is especially urgent, and a combination of publicly and privately funded science will help us achieve this goal. New opioid compounds that block pain without addiction or overdose risk are already being studied. Compounds targeting the body’s other pain-signaling systems, such as the endocannabinoid system, are another promising approach. We have also been funding research into high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and related technologies that could greatly improve quality of life for chronic pain patients without using medications at all. The opioid crisis may look daunting, but there is much reason for hope. Science will find a solution — probably many solutions — to this crisis. NIH and our industry partners are committed to an “all scientific hands on deck” approach to accelerate this work to prevent overdose deaths, support long term recovery from opioid addiction, and ensure that pain treatment is not a pathway to addiction.
New opioid compounds that block
pain without addiction or overdose risk are already being studied
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