Priorities for research: Extent to which research priorities and priority setting mechanisms are formalised in recent and current policy documents Policy framework Yes No Research related priorities present in the policy framework Present along with related activities or in other sections Formal research priorities recognised as such Priorities translated into formalised actions Further priority setting mechanisms Belgium Federal Policy Note of January 2001 Nothing else than evoked. Epidemiology studies and surveillance systems (so as to be in conformity with EMCDDA obligations) Scientific evaluation in prevention and treatment Scientific studies dealing with criminality and drug-related nuisances Cited under the heading of “Actions”: with epidemiology and evaluation Within the law enforcement policy and criminality section The Federal Note formulates straightforward detailed statements. Responsibilities: Clearly defined but not operational Federal research on set: Intended to fund research projects in support of the federal level (only) Annual budget provided organise and manage the drug research programme Belgium Common Declaration of January 2010 Referred to as “research principles”: i.e. Scientific excellence and international integration, concentration around key questions covering multiple competences, research themes in support of strategic orientations on drug policy, collaboration at federal, regional, communities and international level should be fostered Referred to as “research topics”: Addressed under the heading of “Scientific research” Responsibilities fully operational: i.e. Scientific Research Information Cell within Drug Policy Cell in discussing new research themes and the annual programme used for the of proposals of BELSPO
research institutes; Masters on addiction particularly in clinical research Funding: Give priority to sharing of research across Europe and make use of EU funds Infrastructure: Research networks (multicentric research & evaluation) French Government Plan 2013-17 Multi-disciplinary approach: Multidisciplinary research into the motivations, perceptions and attitudes of population groups considered as taking priority Translational and research: Translational (clinical and preclinical) and multidisciplinary (preclinical, and social sciences) projects aimed at improving the treatment of and behavioural types of dependence (gambling, Internet, screens, doping behaviours) will be promoted through calls for research projects (hospital clinical research programme in particular). Priority disciplines: Addressed under the heading of “Supporting research and observation” French Action Plan 2013-15 underway The adoption of a second Action Plan 2015-17 is planned Drug-related research programming funding organisations mentioned in the French Government Plan (PHRC, ANR, ANRS, INSERM, EHESS, INCa, Research annual budget MILDECA: €4.23 million for research and observation, of than €1 million for (projects granted falling within the 2013-15 Plan)
Italian Plan of Action 2010-13 Main disciplines: It calls for more research in the field of the neurosciences and the neuroimaging but also in the field of the sciences of the behaviour, social and educational Research capacity and coordination: It states that funding priority will be given to projects able to promote national collaborative network; it also recognises the importance of supporting the creation of an institutional scientific community, facilitating scientific publications and training but above all, it supports cross-ministerial collaborations with accredited research centres Under the heading of “Main principles of the National Plan of Action” (Principi generali del PAN) Italian Project Plan of 2010 Note that drug related research annual budget is provided: Roughly €1 million (4 % €26 millions) Italian DPA Statement on scientific international collaborations Multidisciplinary research: It states that the Italian Government aims to respond to the drug problem with a scientific evidence based, integrated and multidisciplinary approach. Translational research: It considers essential to translate the results of the research studies to the clinical and education fields. Research disciplines: Cited in a drug research dedicated document
Clinical neurosciences with in-depth analysis above all of the cognitive-behavioural aspects and their changes during treatment Neuroimaging of addiction Transcranic Magnetic Stimulation HIV/AIDS infectious diseases, testing & counselling and antiretroviral treatment for drug addicts Dutch White Paper of 1996 Nothing else than listed. Areas (set in 1996): Regular user studies Projects on quality Evaluation of preventive measures (effectiveness and efficiency of prevention work) Medical trials to be conducted on the effectiveness and harmfulness of prescribing heroin on medical grounds to any type of addict Future scenarios Key questions (set in 1996): Coffee shop policy THC-levels (harm) Synthetic drugs (harm) This policy document for a greater attention to be paid to research, monitoring and evaluation. Priorities are listed under the heading of “Annex II: principal policy intentions indicated in the policy document on drugs”
International research projects in innovative areas Research capacity building: Setting a national network bringing together scientists in view to disseminating academic works into addictions Contributing to the creation of an European network of scientists UK Cross-Government Drugs Research Strategy 2010 In consultation with key stakeholders the CGRPDestablished the following priority areas for research: To strengthen our understanding of drug use: aetiology, incidence, prevalence and patterns of use in the population. To further strengthen our knowledge of drug use and needs amongst a number of groups, including young people, black and minority ethnic (BME) groups, families, and drug-using offenders. To review our knowledge and measures of drug-related harms. To develop our understanding of treatment, prevention, and other demand- side interventions. To review and strengthen understanding of UK drug markets, and interventions to tackle them. Fully dedicated strategy to illicit drugs research issues The strategy provides the following details regarding the priorities established, along with reference to any current or planned work addressing them with lead department(s) Priority 1 Work with partners to improve UK-wide estimates of problem drug use. Work towards provision of robustcomparative estimates of PDU prevalence across Europe. Map and monitor the emergence of new drugs and changing patterns of drug No needed. The current strategy provided it: Funding for projects out of individual budgets and is controlled individual departments The CGRPD is for the following activities support delivery of the research strategy: Annual of ongoing government research on drugs and monitoring of their deliver
The drug population, the factors affecting people’s substance misuse, the harms experienced and the most effective interventions in education, prevention and treatment. a National Drugs Group – as a project the Scottish Advisory Committee on Drug (SACDM). Welsh policy document 2008-18 The Welsh strategy recognises the need to “to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions’. The document stresses the importance of using such findings from research to help target support and to prioritise resources. Along with delivering the strategy and supporting partner agencies The Substance Misuse Strategy. Three-year Implementation Plan 2008-11 Substance Misuse Delivery Plan
Table 1: National policy documents setting out research priorities reflecting the need for promoting a specific approach Yes No Belgium France Italy The Netherlands Portugal United Kingdom Cross-disciplinary approaches “Key questions covering multiple competences should be sought” (BCD, 2010) “Gaps in combining public health with human and social research” (FP “Action in favour of prevention and treatment requires the development of an ambitious multidisciplinary research policy” (FGP, 2013-17) “Need to carry out multidisciplinary research into motivations, perceptions and attitudes” (FGP, 2013-17) “Need to respond to the drug problem with an integrated and multidisciplinary approach” (DPA, 2011) Not formally made explicit (DWP, 1996) “Interdisciplinary studies should be included when it to setting research priorities” (PR 46/99) “The use of is neither comprehensible nor explainable without the help of a wide range of knowledge. is therefore fundamental for research on drugs and drug addiction” ((PR 46/99). Not formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined Cross-border initiatives
“International integration should be fostered” (BCD, 2010) Particular attention is paid to “sharing of research funds across Europe and make use of EU funds” (FGP, International scientific coordination is promoted (FGP, 2013-17) International collaboration (joint projects and training) is promoted (DPA, 2011) “The Netherlands Government will take steps to expand scientific programme relating to drug use, partly within the framework of the EU and UN initiatives” (DWP, 1996) Scientific collaboration at international level is promoted (PR 46/99) Scientific collaboration at international level is promoted (CGDRS, 2010) Translational research “Research themes should come in support of strategic orientations” (BCD, 2010) “Translational research will be promoted through calls for research projects” (FGP, 2013-17) “It’s seen essential to translate research results to clinical and education fields” (DPA, 2011) No formally made explicit but the Dutch White Paper of 1996 calls for a “pragmatic policy geared to practical results” (DWP, 1996) “Increasing the interaction between knowledge, decision and intervention” is identified as a research priority (PP, 2005-2012) Not formally made explicit but the Cross-Government Drugs Research Strategy supports the mission of OSCHR “to facilitate more efficient translation of health research into health and economic benefits in the UK through better of health research and more coherent funding arrangements to support translation.
Table 2: National policy documents setting out research priorities reflecting the need for facilitating research in a particular scientific discipline Yes No Belgium France Italy The Netherlands Portugal United Kingdom Medical sciences Not formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined (neither BFPN, 2001 nor BCD, 2010) Biology (FGP, Genetic (FGP, Neurosciences (FGP, 2013-17) Neurosciences (IPA, 2010-13) Neurosciences with in-depth analysis of aspects and changes during treatment (DPA, 2011) Neuroimaging (IPA, 2010-13) Any scientific discipline formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined (DWP, 1996) Biology (PR 46/99) Pharmacology (PR 46/99) Neurosciences (PR, 46/99) Toxicology (PR, 46/99) Not formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined Epidemiology (BFPN, 2001 and BCD, 2010) (FGP, 2013-17) Not cited as such among the priority areas of interest for research identified in the policy documents here examined Any scientific discipline formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined but the policy of 1996 calls for “comparable statistics” (DWP, 1996) Epidemiological surveys studies, prison-based studies, problematic drug use) (PP, “Work towards provision of robust comparative estimates of PDU prevalence” (CGDRS, 2010)
Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities Not formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined (neither BFPN, 2001 nor BCD, 2010) Research in criminology, in law and legal sociology, on the black market, on sociology of poverty and on behavioural changes and health (FGP, 2008-11) Formally present in the last French plan (FGP, 2013-17) (IPA, 2010-13) Any scientific discipline formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined (DWP, 1996) Psychology, behavioural sciences, ethnology, economics and criminology (PR, 46/99) Not formally made explicit in the policy documents here examined
Prevention responses Scientific evaluation in prevention (BFPN, 2001) Research on the prevention of the drug use (BCD, 2010) Prevention and early identification of risk uses of drugs particularly for teenagers and young adults (FGP, Evaluation studies on the field of limitation of drug use (FGP, 2008-2011) Research into public policies and in prevention responses in particular (FGP, 2013-17) Early detection, drug testing and brief interventions (DPA, 2011) HIV/AIDS infectious diseases testing and counselling (DPA, 2011) Evaluation of preventive measures (DWP, 1996) Assessing the impact of the decriminalization law (PP, 2005-12) Priority 4 and specific focus expected due to financial pressures (CGDRS, 2010) Evaluating the effectiveness of interventions (Scottish drug strategy document 2008 ; drug strategy document 2008-2018) Treatment responses Scientific evaluation in prevention (BFPN, 2001 Promising medicines and new therapeutic strategies (FGP, Promising medications (DPA, 2011) Transcranic magnetic Effectiveness and harmfulness of prescribing heroin on medical ground to any type of addict (DWP, 1996) Assessing the impact of the decriminalization law(PP, 2005-12) Priority 4 and specific focus expected due to financial pressures (CGDRS, 2010)
Promoting the most effective interventions (Scottish drug strategy document 2008 ;Welsh drug strategy document 2008-2018) Drug related crime responses Studies dealing with criminality and drug-related nuisances (BFPN, 2001) Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Assessing the impact of drug decriminalization laws (PP, 2005-12) Priority 5 (CGDRS, 2010) Determinants of drug use Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Priority 1 (CGDRS, 2010) Consequences of drug use Not cited as a research related Drug-related social damage and in Not cited as a research related Harms caused by the use of new Harms caused by the use of new Priority 4 2010)
priority in the policy documents here examined particular, relations between violence, delinquency and use of drugs, problems with precariousness and social isolation related to drug addiction behaviours (FGP, 2008-11) Drug related mortality (FGP, Psychological and social risks associated with gambling and screens abuse at an early age (FGP, priority in the policy documents here examined psychoactive drugs and harms associated to THC-levels (DWP, 1996) psychoactive drugs (PR, 46/99) Studies into mortality (PP,
Mechanism of drug use and effects Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Effects dues to early use of drugs (FGP, 2013-17) Effects of alcohol, cannabis and tobacco use during the adolescence (FGP, 2013-17) Not as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Harms related to THC-levels and synthetic drugs use (DWP, 1996) Harms and dangers of different drugs (PR, 46/99) Priority 1 and 4 (CGDRS, 2010) Supply and markets Research on supply topics such as the production, the price or the availability (BCD, 2010) Research on the black market Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Assessing the impact of drug decriminalization laws (PP, 2005-12) Priority 5 (CGDRS, 2010)
Methodological issues Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Studies on programme evaluation methodologies (PR, 46/99) Studies on the reliability and relevance of indicators used as well as on the significance of their variations (at geographical level and between population groups) (PP, 2005-12) Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined
Table 4: EU and national policy documents setting out research priorities reflecting the need to apply to a certain type of methodological study Yes No Belgium France Italy The Netherlands Portugal United Kingdom Pre-clinical development approaches Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Clinical/ medical trials and studies Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Clinical research is promoted (FGP, 2013-17) Clinical trials of promising medications (DPA, 2011) Medical trials on the effectiveness and harmfulness of prescribing heroin on medical ground to any type of addict (DWP, 1996) Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Mechanistic studies Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined Not cited as a research related priority in the policy documents here examined
be fostered (BCD, 2010) leading foreign research institutes; Masters on addictology particularly in clinical research training of future researchers (IPA, 2010-13) in the field is addressed. Few scientists devote their university careers to this theme (often because the relative lack of interest of the universities only permits episodic research, aimed at obtaining academic degrees or at the request of State organisations) (PR, 46/99). In the field of “administrative research”, it is important to introduce, in accordance with the law (Article 13 of Decree-Law 31/99 of 5 February), the career of scientific research into the organic structure of the public services, in which the production of scientific knowledge about drugs is developed in a systematic way (PR, 46/99) policy documents here examined Funding mechanisms Flexible funding mechanisms should be sought (2010, BCD) Give priority to sharing of research across Europe and Not addressed as a priority Not addressed as a priority The strategy stresses the need to overcome the tendency for short-term financial management of research and to provide financial support, for ‘Funding for projects comes out of individual department budgets and iscontrolled by individual
Collaboration with funding entities should be fostered (authorities at the federal, regional, community, international level) (2010, BCD). make use of EU funds. projects involving fundamental long-term research, which may lead to the construction and corroboration of sound explanatory models. It is also important that when projects are considered, especially by the Foundation for Science and Technology, the specificity of research on drugs and drug addiction must be taken into account” (PR, 46/99) departments.’ (CGDRS, 2010) Research infrastructure (collaborative networks, scientific cooperation, dissemination of research findings, ...) Not addressed as a priority Research networks are promoted (FGP, 2008-11) Scientific national and international scientific cooperation should be facilitated (FGP, 2013-17) Funding priority will be given to projects able to promote national collaborative network; it also recognises the importance of supporting the creation of an institutional scientific community and facilitating scientific publications and above all, it supports Not addressed as a priority Not addressed as a priority Research networks are promoted 2010) Scientific national and international scientific cooperation should be facilitated 2010)
General objective of the MRC’s funding initiative This initiative aimed to fund innovative and cross-disciplinary research so as to meet the needs of a wide range of stakeholders and lead to improvements in public health by reducing the harm caused by illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco and problem gambling. Priority themes for research set in the MRC’s funding research initiative The key topics for research funded through the for grants under the “2009 Addiction research strategy” for the UK were as described in the table follows: Thematic priorities set in the call for proposals launched from 2009 to 2010 call (grants for the pilot phase) Second & third calls (seed corn funding) Nine key topics for research: Theme 1: Adolescent substance use trajectories. 2: Understanding alcohol’s effects on inhibition of behaviour: implications for treatment. Theme 3: Genetic influences underlying impulsivity and risk for drug addiction. 4: Predicting relapse in treatment-seeking pathological gamblers using impulsivity and compulsivity assays. Theme 5: Neurobiology of cognition and craving in opiate addiction: implications for relapse. Theme 6: Molecular and physiological mechanism of GABA(A) receptor function in striatal circuits underlying addiction. Theme 7: Imaging D3 receptors in alcoholism. Nine key priority needs: Theme 1: Developing evidence-based behaviour change interventions and policies to reduce alcohol use and misuse among young people Theme 2: Developing innovative cognitive-motivational and neuroscientific interventions for alcohol abuse Theme 3: Experimental and clinical research on treatment of alcohol misuse and dependence Theme 4: Addictions in youth and young adulthood: Causes, trajectories and risk factors Theme 5: Causes, epidemiology and prevention of substance use (and gambling) among young people Theme 6: Research for effective alcohol policies capacity development for alcohol policy effectiveness research Theme 7: Nationally integrated quantitative understanding of addiction harms