Harm Reduction Research Network

Overview

The Research Need

Harm reduction approaches, such as the distribution of naloxone and sterile syringes, help people to reduce the risk of certain related health and safety issues during active drug use, including overdose and transmission of infectious diseases. Research is needed to find ways to improve access to evidence-based harm reduction services and to develop and test promising new approaches.

About the Program

The Harm Reduction Research Network is a national network of research projects that build on existing harm reduction research. The network represents the largest pool of funding from NIH to date to study harm reduction strategies to address overdose deaths. Studies within the network are examining the effectiveness, implementation, and impact of existing and new harm reduction policies and practices to inform efforts to save lives. Research supported by this program is conducted in real-world settings and in collaboration with a diverse range of partners, who are helping to ensure that the strategies being studied are sustainable and scalable. A single coordinating center supports the research projects by streamlining communication across the network, providing support related to data methodology, engaging community partners in all network activities, and translating research findings so they can be used by researchers, practitioners, and communities.

Open Funding Opportunities

There are no Open Funding Opportunities at this time.

Program Details

To date, through the Helping to End Addiction Long-term^® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative^®, NIH has funded 10 awards for this program, totaling $19.7 million.

Harm Reduction Network Research Projects

The program supports research such as:

Developing and testing novel harm reduction approaches in both urban and rural settings.
Evaluating novel settings for delivering harm reduction services and approaches that do not require face-to-face interactions.
Exploring and addressing individual and system-level barriers to accessing effective, scalable, and sustainable harm reduction services.
Examining strategies for reaching vulnerable, understudied, and hardly reached populations who need harm reduction services.
Assessing the effectiveness of harm reduction strategies for individuals who use methamphetamine and other stimulants.