Dr. Thomas Kosten of Baylor College of Medicine and Dr. Peter Burkhard of the University of Connecticut are the recipients of NIDA’s 2011 Avant-Garde Awards for Innovative Medication Development Research. Dr. Kosten is developing a vaccine against methamphetamine abuse and Dr. Burkhard is developing a vaccine to counter nicotine addiction.
The President’s Budget for FY13 has just been released and offers a timely opportunity to review NIDA’s funding priorities for the research we support. To best fulfill our public health mission to “lead the Nation in bringing the power of science to bear on drug abuse and addiction” requires that we focus on those areas likely to produce the greatest return on the public’s investment.
Raises awareness of the health consequences of improper use of prescription drugs and contrasts it with the benefits of safe and proper prescription drug use.
Encourages patients to discuss any and all drug use—including prescription and over-the-counter medications—with their doctors and other health care professionals.