Interventions that combat isolation may be particularly important in the context of current physical distancing recommendations. This randomized trial tested whether community reinforcement paired with motivational enhancement therapy impacted outcomes among seniors with alcohol use disorder.

Stay-at-home orders in many US states, which began in early 2020, have been associated with increased alcohol sales, particularly via online outlets. The World Health Organization issued a warning in April 2020 that alcohol use may potentially exacerbate poor health during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. How has the pandemic influenced individuals’ drinking behavior, and which groups have felt this influence the most?

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After reading these articles, you should be able to…

It’s become clear that the COVID-19 pandemic will obligate us to rebuild our practices anew—in some cases, permanently—and that achieving normalcy will be less like a return and more like a transformation. My hope is that this issue helps you construct that new normal. We examine specific telemedicine strategies for...

Buprenorphine can be administered via intravenous, transdermal, sublingual, buccal, and implanted formulations. We appraise the evidence for various formulations and suggest certain populations for which certain formulations may be a better choice.

As many clinicians embark on new telemedicine efforts, we review the body of literature around virtual approaches to the care of patients with addiction. Dr. Swendeman reviews the evidence of efficacy for electronic self-monitoring, text-messaging, and other strategies may support your practice, and how to implement them.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine released updated guidelines for the management of opioid use disorder (OUD) in March, 2020. They focus on expanding access to methadone and buprenorphine. Additionally, detailed guidance is given for perioperative management of OUD and pain management in patients with OUD.

Medications are the mainstay of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), but what if patients decline buprenorphine, injectable naltrexone, and methadone? In this randomized trial, authors compared hydromorphone (Dilaudid) with diacetylmorphine (the active ingredient in heroin) among patients who reported injecting heroin.

Smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol have reciprocal influences on each other. In this meta-analysis of nine randomized studies, the authors appraise the evidence for varenicline use for alcohol use disorder specifically.