Addiction Treatment

Research Update

Weekly Extended-Release Buprenorphine During Pregnancy

October 1, 2026

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Assistant Medical Director, Addiction Services Division, Connecticut Valley Hospital; Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University; Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Dr. Capurso has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Sublingual buprenorphine remains standard for opioid use disorder in pregnancy, but adherence and diversion are real concerns. The first randomized trial of weekly extended-release buprenorphine in pregnant patients offers new data.

Research Update

Low-Dose Semaglutide Reduces Drinking Intensity, Not Frequency

October 1, 2026

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Assistant Medical Director, Addiction Services Division, Connecticut Valley Hospital; Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University; Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Dr. Capurso has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

GLP-1 agonists are generating buzz for alcohol use disorder, but rigorous trial data have been scarce. A new placebo-controlled trial tests low-dose weekly semaglutide against real-world and laboratory drinking measures.

Research Update

Website Helps With Benzo Taper

October 1, 2026

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Assistant Medical Director, Addiction Services Division, Connecticut Valley Hospital; Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University; Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.

Dr. Capurso has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Long-term benzodiazepine tapering is notoriously difficult, and clinician time is limited. A VA-based randomized trial tests whether a free, self-guided website alone can help patients successfully cut down or stop.

Medication or Therapy? A Clinical Framework for Substance Use Disorders

September 7, 2026

Noah Capurso, MD

Today, we’re tackling a deceptively simple question that comes up all the time in clinical practice: When should we prioritize medication, when should we emphasize psychotherapy, and when can we recommend both? This question comes up especially often with patients who are new to treatment. They’ll ask, “Do I need a medication?” or “Can I just do therapy?” And while it’s tempting to answer in generalities, the evidence actually gives us much clearer guidelines, depending on the substance that the patient is using.

Fact Sheet

Mental Fitness in Psychiatric Practice: A Carlat Clinical Fact Sheet

August 1, 2026

Chris Aiken, MD

Dr. Aiken has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.
Full Fact Sheet Editorial Information

Mental fitness promotes mental health through lifestyle change.

Fact Sheet

Cannabis Use Disorder Treatment Fact Sheet

August 1, 2026

Michael Weaver, MD, FASAM

Dr. Weaver has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.
Full Fact Sheet Editorial Information

There’s no FDA-approved pharmacotherapy for cannabis use disorder (CUD), but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.

Research Update

Harm Reduction Vending Machines

July 14, 2026

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS

Noah Capurso, MD, MHS., Dr. Capurso has no financial relationships with companies related to this material.

Vending machines stocked with naloxone, syringes, and HIV tests are spreading across communities. But do they reach the people who need them most, and what does the evidence say about their impact?

Expert Q&A

Stigma, Shame, and Recovery in Physician Health Programs

July 1, 2026

Chris Bundy, MD, MPH

Physicians seek help for addiction and mental health issues later and with greater shame than most patients, yet their outcomes are among the best. Dr. Chris Bundy explains why this is and covers how clinicians can reduce stigma, navigate mandatory reporting, and support colleagues in crisis.