Research Spotlights

Explore the projects helping to make a difference in the opioid crisis.

baby in NICU

Help for Babies Born Dependent on Opioids

NIH HEAL Initiative research seeks better long-term outcomes for babies with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome, or NOWS.

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baby in NICU

Diagram of the peripheral nerve stimulator system

Next-gen Device Could Relieve Phantom Limb Pain

HEAL-funded research aims to improve post-amputation pain management, reducing need for opioids.

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Diagram of the peripheral nerve stimulator system

Green and blue Illustration of neurons.

A New Pain-Suppression Center in the Brain

Scientists funded by the NIH HEAL Initiative identified neurons in mice that suppress pain processing in the brain.

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Green and blue Illustration of neurons.

Researcher manipulating a plastic replica of the spine.

Piecing Together the Puzzle of Chronic Low Back Pain

A computer model may be able to inspire new insights and treatments.

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Researcher manipulating a plastic replica of the spine.

Image of a nerve stimulator, a kind of electrode, being applied.

Nerve Stimulation Helps Manage Pain Without Opioids

Researchers develop a new type of injectable electrode for neuromodulation therapy.

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Image of a nerve stimulator, a kind of electrode, being applied.

Collaborative Care Model

When Addiction and Mental Illness Collide

Can a team-based approach improve treatment for people with both opioid use disorder and mental health conditions?

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Collaborative Care Model

Illustration depicting the holistic treatment approach of the researchers' project.

‘To Walk in the Beauty Way’: Treating Opioid Use Disorder in Native Communities

Research explores the integration of medication-based treatment with the healing traditions of American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

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Illustration depicting the holistic treatment approach of the researchers' project.

Image of two women seating, one a doctor with white coat and stethoscope and a the other holding a new born baby boy.

Personalizing Pain Management for Women

The NIH HEAL InitiativeSM is funding a new study that aims to address the problem of adequate pain management after cesarean delivery, the over prescribing of opioid and the high number of leftover opioid tablets.

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Image of two women seating, one a doctor with white coat and stethoscope and a the other holding a new born baby boy.

Three women stand next to each other in front of a fence at a horse farm.

Could a Telehealth Program Improve Outcomes for Justice-Involved Women?

NIH HEAL InitiativeSM’s research is testing system to link incarcerated women to outside opioid use disorder services before leaving jail.

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Three women stand next to each other in front of a fence at a horse farm.

A smiling woman next to the words, “First, I’ll teach you how pain is affected by — and how it affects — your actions, feelings, and thoughts.”

Prescribing a Website for Chronic Pain

Researchers test whether a phone- or web-based program can help people cope with long-term pain.

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A smiling woman next to the words, “First, I’ll teach you how pain is affected by — and how it affects — your actions, feelings, and thoughts.”

An animation of an African American man in a doctor’s office. He is holding his back and his facial expression shows he is in pain.

High Tech Simulations Aim to Reduce Disparities in Pain Care

Virtual patients train real doctors to understand, overcome their biases when judging patients’ risk of opioid misuse.

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An animation of an African American man in a doctor’s office. He is holding his back and his facial expression shows he is in pain.

Diagram of HEAL Initiative's six focus areas, separated by categories of Enhancing Pain Management and Improving Treatments for Opioid Misuse and Addiction.

The Opioid Crisis: All Hands on Deck

A formidable and rapidly evolving crisis demands a uniquely powerful response: the NIH HEAL InitiativeSM.

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Diagram of HEAL Initiative's six focus areas, separated by categories of Enhancing Pain Management and Improving Treatments for Opioid Misuse and Addiction.

Traditional pain scale from 0 to 100, visualized with cartoon faces

Searching for a Way to Predict Pain

A University of Texas researcher with the NIH HEAL InitiativeSM hopes to create a blood test to measure a person’s sensitivity to pain.

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Traditional pain scale from 0 to 100, visualized with cartoon faces

Titanium implant that releases medication treatment for opioid use disorder.

Better Ways to Deliver Medications That Treat Addiction

The NIH HEAL InitiativeSM is funding a project to develop a long-lasting implant to release medication for opioid use disorder to help patients stay on treatment and achieve long-term recovery.

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Titanium implant that releases medication treatment for opioid use disorder.

VADM Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH, Surgeon General. Caption reads: I feel the biggest killer out there is actually stigma.

Stigma: Overcoming a Barrier to Pain Treatment and Addiction Recovery

The NIH HEAL InitiativeSM challenged researchers to consider stigma when planning ways to address the opioid crisis.

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VADM Jerome M. Adams, MD, MPH, Surgeon General. Caption reads: I feel the biggest killer out there is actually stigma.

News

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Events

Learn about the initiative’s upcoming and past events.

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About the Initiative

Learn about the initiative’s research plan and funding.

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