Ohio Launches Research Projects To Curb Opioid Addiction

COLUMBUS, OH — Ohio officials unveiled two new projects to try and curb the opioid epidemic. Both initiatives are science-based and will require the assistance of university and medical professionals.

“While Ohio’s first responders and treatment and recovery experts are fighting a heroic battle to curb opioid-related fatalities, the key to victory is to stop people from becoming addicted in the first place,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “The two projects we are launching aim to prevent people from entering the addiction pipeline.”

One project will support scientists trying to identify the genetic factors that contribute to addiction. The goal is to provide doctors information that could prevent prescribing opioids to someone predisposed to addiction.

To complete the study, up to 1,500 patients in emergency departments at The Ohio State University and University of Cincinnati will be recruited. Patients will be asked about their exposure to opioids, current opioid use, and their general health history.

Researchers will then cheek swab each patient to collect their DNA. Scientists will look for 180 genetic markers suspected to be associated with opioid addiction. Samples of those battling opioid addiction will be compared to those without opioid use disorder, to determine which markers are most closely associated with opioid use.

Once that information is gathered, the research team will develop an addiction risk score for patients, ranking how likely it is that a patient become addicted to opioids in the future.

“Genetics and addiction often go hand-in-hand, but we need to find out how and translate this knowledge into clinical practice if we want to gain the upper hand in the battle against opioid addiction,” Yost said. “If we can prevent the problem, we can ultimately win the war.”

Prevention

The second state-backed project will be identifying and developing strategies for preventing opioid addiction. A team of doctors, pharmacologists, nurses, behavioral economists, data analysts, and others will take part in the research.

The group will look for circumstantial, environmental, social and psychological factors that contribute to opioid use. The group will form a panel called the Scientific Committee on Opioid Prevention & Education.

“We want to know why two people can take the same drug in the same dosage and only one becomes addicted,” Yost said. “Answering that question could help us get in front of this epidemic and begin to relieve the pressure on those who are working so hard to save those who already are in the clutches of the opioid monster.”