In the News
University of Michigan researchers from a wide range of disciplines are working together to formulate and answer critical questions about opioids. These collaborative efforts have placed U-M at the forefront of opioid research.
Pain Management Group Closure: Michigan Pain Consultants
Michigan Pain Consultants, a large pain management group with multiple practices in West Michigan, has filed for bankruptcy and will be closing in August 2024. See below for a message from our partners at the Michigan Overdose Prevention Engagement Network (OPEN) This...
Last decade saw big decrease in teens who used commonly prescribed and misused prescription drugs
Since 2009, U.S. high school seniors have reported steep declines in medical use, misuse and availability of the three most commonly prescribed and misused controlled substances for teens, a new University of Michigan study found. Researchers compared use trends,...
Opioid Research Institute releases first Annual Report
Launched in April of 2023, the Opioid Research Institute is focused on addressing the ongoing opioid epidemic by providing evidence-based strategies and solutions to communities across the state and nation. In its first year of operation, the Institute has made...
Media Mention: Opioid health homes remove barriers to recovery
The opioid epidemic — the single deadliest drug epidemic in U.S. history — affects Michiganders across all races and socioeconomic sectors in both urban and rural communities, from youth to older adults. According to the University of Michigan Opioid Research...
$500k federal grant to support postdoctoral trainees studying the biology of drug abuse
The University of Michigan was awarded a $500,000 federal grant earlier this summer to support postdoctoral fellows in their efforts to uncover how recreational drugs like fentanyl, methamphetamine and THC affect biological processes throughout the brain and body. The...
Media Mention: Researchers Call for Expanded Recommendations for the Treatment of Co-Occurring Stimulant and Opioid Use Disorders
Allison Lin, M.D., and Lara Coughlin, Ph.D., co-authored a Viewpoint article published in JAMA Psychiatry identifying barriers to treatment and providing recommendations to support individuals who use both stimulants and opioids Overdose deaths in the U.S. rose to...
Media Mention: Best Practices: Managing Opioid Risks in Older Adults
Polypharmacy and slow metabolism of drugs create a high risk among older adults for substance use disorder, raising the odds of intentional and unintentional overdoses. However, screening, assessment, and treatment for substance use disorder occurs less often in...
Media Mention: From ‘trial and error’ to targeted precision: $17.9M grant accelerates U-M mental health research
People with depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns face many options to try and ease their symptoms, from talk therapy and medication to movement, sleep and mindfulness. However, finding an option or combination that works can take months or years for...
Media Mention: Many Doctors Hesitant to Accept Patients Using Opioids or Cannabis
Chronic pain patients who use either opioids or cannabis are still finding it hard to find new primary care physicians, according to new research at the University of Michigan. Lead author Mark Bicket, MD, and his colleagues surveyed more than 1,000 U.S. primary care...
A few surgical procedures account for high number of opioid prescriptions
A handful of common surgical procedures account for large shares of all opioids dispensed after surgery in children and adults, according to two studies recently published by researchers at the University of Michigan. The studies, published this week...