Grant: Operating Grant: Opioid Crisis Knowledge Synthesis

In 2016, more than 2,800 Canadians died from opioid poisoning. Arising from over-prescription and illicit opioids such as fentanyl, opioids have resulted in a healthcare crisis in Canada. The impact of this epidemic is substantial, and opioid use disorder (OUD) has noteworthy implications on mortality, morbidity, healthcare use and societal costs. People living with OUD urgently need the best treatments to be made available to them. This application proposes to address two knowledge gaps based upon rigorous reviews of available evidence: 1.While individuals with OUD may receive medication treatments, fewer currently receive supporting psychosocial care from care providers. This component of care can greatly enhance the likelihood of treatment success. While many psychosocial strategies (given at the individual level, in small groups, and with families) have been developed, we don't currently know which have the most benefits for patients. We will use an evidence based approach to assess which therapy is best. 2.While research is often performed to compare OUD treatments, methods to design such studies are highly varied. One key source of variation is the outcome measures researchers choose to assess, which differ greatly between studies. This difference may mean the interests of people with OUD are not always well represented, and can complicate clinicians' and decision-makers' ability to compare results from different studies. Using an evidence based approach and surveys of people with OUD, clinicians and decision-makers, we will develop a 'core outcomes set' which we will use to promote consistency in study design amongst researchers worldwide. This will make future evidence more compatible to the many users of this data, and help providers know which treatments are best for their clients. We have teamed with key Canadian societies representing people affected by OUD, clinicians and decision-makers to maximize impact of the findings from our work.