NIDA’s Clinical Trials Network: An Opportunity for HIV Research in Community Substance Abuse Treatment Programs

Abstract

Background/Objectives: HIV continues to be a significant problem among substance users and their sexual partners in the United States. The National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) offers a national platform for effectiveness trials of HIV interventions in community substance abuse treatment programs. This article presents the HIV activities of the CTN during its first 10 years. Results: While emphasizing CTN HIV protocols, this article reviews the (1) HIV context for this work; (2) the collaborative process among providers, researchers, and National Institute on Drug Abuse CTN staff, on which CTN HIV work was based; (3) results of CTN HIV protocols and HIV secondary analyses in CTN non-HIV protocols; and (4) implications for future HIV intervention effectiveness research in community substance abuse treatment programs. Conclusion/Significance: While the feasibility of engaging frontline providers in this research is highlighted, the limitations of small to medium effect sizes and weak adoption and sustainability in everyday practice are also discussed.

• Clinical Trials Network
• effectiveness research
• HIV/AIDS
• substance abuse

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Support was provided by the NIDA CTN grants: U10 DA13035 (Edward Nunes, PI), U10 DA13714 (Dennis Donovan, PI), U10 DA13043 (George Woody, PI), U10 DA13727 (Kathleen Brady, PI), U10 DA013720 (Jose Szapocznik, PI), U10 DA015815 (James Sorensen, PI), U10 DA013046 (John Rotrosen, PI), U10 DA013036 (Dennis McCarty, PI), U10 DA13045 (Walter Ling, PI). The authors also acknowledge the support of the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute.

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.