How pharmaceutical messaging affects opioid use among U.S. military veterans
Official title: The Impact of Pharmaceutical Industry Messaging on the Opioid Crisis among U.S. Military Veterans
Funded at Ndri-USA, INC. · NIH-11032039 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how the pharmaceutical industry has affected the way military veterans use opioids, aiming to understand the messages they've received about these medications and how that might have made it harder for them to explore other pain relief options.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ndri-USA, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | May 1, 2023 |
| Project end | February 28, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $633,328 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA058016-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11032039 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are military veterans who have been prescribed opioids or are experiencing chronic pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not military veterans or those who do not have a history of opioid use may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how the pharmaceutical industry has influenced opioid consumption among military veterans, a group particularly vulnerable to opioid-related issues. By analyzing various textual data and employing innovative data mining techniques, the project aims to uncover the narratives promoted by the industry that have shaped veterans' perceptions of opioid therapies. The study will also explore how these narratives have created barriers to alternative pain management options, ultimately affecting veterans' health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies for preventing opioid misuse and better pain management options for veterans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding the influence of pharmaceutical marketing can lead to significant improvements in public health strategies, indicating potential success for this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Ndri-USA, INC.
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Haddock, Christopher Keith — Ndri-USA, INC.
- Study coordinator: Haddock, Christopher Keith
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Together Against Overdose: Community technology to link people to care and treatment
A community-driven project will create English and Spanish materials and digital tools to help people who use drugs access harm-reduction services and medications for opioid use disorder.
-
Understanding alcohol use among emergency medical service providers
A study of how EMS providers use alcohol and how it affects their health, safety, and work performance.
-
How pharmaceutical messaging shaped veterans' views on opioid pain medicines
This project looks at how drug company messages changed U.S. military veterans' beliefs about opioid pain medicines and how that affected their care.
-
Alcohol use and coping among emergency medical responders
This project looks at how and why EMS workers use alcohol and how that use relates to their health, safety, and work performance.
-
Developing community technology to reduce overdose risks and improve access to services
This study is all about helping people who use drugs stay safe by creating easy-to-use tools and resources that teach them about the dangers of mixed drugs and connect them to local support services, all while working closely with the community to make sure the information is helpful and available in both English and S
-
Examining alcohol use among emergency medical service providers
This study looks at how often emergency medical service workers drink alcohol, especially since their job can be really stressful, and it aims to find ways to help them stay healthy and cope better with their experiences.
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.