Case Study: Research Policy Interface Thematic Group

HSE Drug Insights Report - Naloxone report

Academics and Institutional Affiliation:

Gráinne Cousins (1), Louise Durand (1), Fiona Boland (1), Ben Ryan (1) & Eamon Keenan (2)

1-Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, 2-Trinity College Dublin

Evidence of policy outcome referencing the role of the research:

Yes – the HSE Naloxone report noted on page 27 “ that our findings highlight the need for the Naloxone Programme to proactively inform treatment service providers of the overdose risks, as close monitoring may be required with treatment plans adapted to help prevent future overdoses. In addition, those not currently receiving treatment should be followed up via outreach initiatives and encouraged to access treatment with naloxone, and respective training provided as part of the initiation process to treatment”

The contingency guidelines for the provision of rapid and uninterrupted opioid agonist treatment during the COVID19 pandemic, were also informed by this research, and a systematic review which GC was involved in ( 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.0976).

Research undertaken that informed or underpinned the policy outcome:

Do interruptions to the continuity of methadone maintenance treatment in specialist addiction settings increase the risk of drug-related poisoning deaths? A retrospective cohort study. 10.1111/add.15004

Key learnings for you from this research-policy bridging process:

In this, and more recent grants I have worked with policy knowledge users in the development of my research grants and the implementation of the study which supports a research-policy collaboration throughout the research process.

SDGs impacted:

SDG 3