Expanding opioid treatment access in Central Asia
Expanding Medication Assisted Therapies in Central Asia
This project will expand access to medication treatments like methadone and buprenorphine for people who inject drugs and their partners in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11403091 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you or someone you know injects drugs in Central Asia, the team will work with clinics, providers, and communities to make it easier to get lifesaving medication treatments and HIV care. They will first gather input from patients and health workers to find the biggest barriers, then help clinics try practical changes using a tested improvement method. Progress will be tracked to see whether more people start and stay on opioid agonist therapy and link to antiretroviral treatment. The work focuses on Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan where treatment coverage is currently low.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who inject drugs and their sexual partners in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, or Tajikistan who could benefit from opioid agonist therapy and HIV care.
Not a fit: People without opioid use disorder, those already well-engaged in effective local treatment programs, or those living outside the three target countries are unlikely to participate or benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could increase access to opioid agonist therapy and HIV treatment, reducing new HIV infections and improving health for people who inject drugs.
How similar studies have performed: Similar implementation efforts using the NIATx approach have increased addiction treatment uptake in other settings, though combining large-scale OAT expansion with HIV care in Central Asia is less tested.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Altice, Frederick Lewis — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Altice, Frederick Lewis
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.