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Mission
The mission of the Clinical Trials Network
(CTN) is to improve the quality of drug abuse treatment throughout
the country using science as the vehicle.
The CTN provides an enterprise in which the National Institute
on Drug Abuse, treatment researchers, and community-based
service providers cooperatively develop, validate, refine,
and deliver new treatment options to patients in community-level
clinical practice. This unique partnership between community
treatment providers and academic research leaders aims to
achieve the following objectives:
- Conducting studies of behavioral, pharmacological,
and integrated behavioral and pharmacological treatment
interventions of therapeutic effect in rigorous, multi-site
clinical trials to determine effectiveness across a broad
range of community-based treatment settings and diversified
patient populations; and
- Ensuring the transfer of research results to physicians,
clinicians, providers, and patients.
History
Over the past several years, research programs within the NIDA have produced dramatic advances in understanding drug abuse and addiction and led to the development of an array of new treatments and therapies to help patients with drug abuse problems. However, the efficacy of new treatments for drug addiction has been demonstrated primarily in specialized research settings, with somewhat restricted patient populations. In order to fulfill their promise, advances achieved in drug abuse research centers must reach patients in the community-based settings where most treatment is provided. To enhance the delivery of scientifically based treatments to drug abuse patients; NIDA has established the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN).
CTN as a Platform
The CTN, with its core of CTPs engaging
diverse populations, is also designed to provide a platform
for other studies, which would be funded under separate research
grants. Three important ways to use the CTN are: to conduct
ancillary studies in connection with CTN protocols; to utilize
CTN Node facilities as a platform for investigations; and
for Nodes to serve as home bases for NIH Training Centers
and individual researchers who have NIH fellowships or career
development awards. |
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