RAND-USC Schaeffer Opioid Policy Tools and Information Center
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COVID-19 is Exacerbating Challenges for Individuals with Addiction
The COVID-19 pandemic is adversely affecting efforts to control substance abuse according to Assistant Secretary of Health Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, who spoke with Rosalie Liccardo Pacula and Adam Leventhal.
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The Intersection of Two Pandemics: COVID-19 and Addiction
Join Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, Schaeffer Center Senior Fellow Rosalie Liccardo Pacula and Institute for Addiction Science Director Adam Leventhal for a discussion.
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The State of the Science in Opioid Policy Research
A review of 145 opioid policy evaluation studies found that greater adoption of more rigorous study designs and statistical methods is warranted.
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State Approaches to Tackling the Opioid Crisis Through the Health Care System
States have implemented multiple strategies to enhance the capacity and quality of treatment services for opioid use disorder.
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About this section
Successfully combating the evolving opioid crisis will require meeting unprecedented demands on our public health, health care, public safety, law enforcement, and criminal justice systems. The RAND-USC Schaeffer Opioid Policy Tools and Information Center (OPTIC) is fostering innovative research and connecting stakeholders to change the trajectory of this crisis. Learn more>
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The Evolving Consequences of OxyContin Reformulation on Drug Overdoses
Instead of just short-term substitution from prescription opioid to heroin overdoses, the transition to illicit markets spurred by reformulation led to growth in the overall overdose rate to unprecedented levels.
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Variation in Performance of Commonly Used Statistical Methods for Estimating Effectiveness of State-Level Opioid Policies on Opioid-Related Mortality
This simulation study used real-world data to compare model performance across a range of important statistical constructs to better understand which methods are appropriate for measuring the impacts of state-level opioid policies on opioid-related mortality.
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How Increasing Medical Access to Opioids Contributes to the Opioid Epidemic: Evidence from Medicare Part D
The researchers find a 10% increase in opioid medical supply leads to a 7.1% increase in opioid-related deaths among the Medicare-ineligible population.
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A Transitioning Epidemic: How The Opioid Crisis Is Driving The Rise In Hepatitis C
The OxyContin reformulation led some users of the drug to switch to heroin, which could have exposed them to the hepatitis C virus.
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Supply-Side Drug Policy in the Presence of Substitutes: Evidence from the Introduction of Abuse-Deterrent Opioids
Supply-side interventions which limit access to opioids may have the unintended consequence of increasing use of substitute drugs, including heroin.
