NIDA Participates in Meetings Focused on International Standards and Curricula

NIDA International Program Director Steven W. Gust and several NIDA grantees and former fellows participated in a series of international meetings held December 7–11, 2015, in Vienna, Austria. The expert meetings focused on developing and disseminating training curricula and building international standards for the prevention of drug use and treatment of drug use disorders. Former NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Drug Abuse Research Fellows Tay Bian How (Malaysia, 1994–1995) and Alexandra Hill (El Salvador, 2005–2006) discussed dissemination strategies during the peer review of the Universal Treatment Curriculum. Dr. Tay directs the International Centre for Certification and Education of Addiction Professionals at the Colombo Plan, and Ms. Hill leads the Demand Reduction Section of the Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD) at the Organization for American States. Dr. Gust also discussed U.S. research in substance abuse at a meeting organized by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). Participants in the INL Focal Point meeting included representatives from the Vienna embassies of 15 nations. Other former NIDA Hubert H. Humphrey Drug Abuse Research Fellows who participated in the meetings included 2011–2012 Fellow Eugene Dordoye, a psychiatrist with the Mental Health Authority of the Ghanaian Ministry of Health; 2003–2004 Fellow Riza Sarasvita, director of community-based drug treatment at the Indonesian National Narcotic Board; 1991–1992 Fellow Isidore S. Obot, a psychology professor at the University of Uyo, Nigeria, and founder of the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse; and 1995–1996 Fellow Lubomír Okruhlica, chief medical expert for drug addiction of the Slovak Republic Ministry of Health and director of the Centre for the Treatment of Drug Dependencies.