Making methadone available through doctors' offices, pharmacies, and mobile units in New York

Simulating the Impact of Office-Based Methadone Prescribing and Pharmacy Dispensing on OUD Treatment and Overdose in New York State: An Agent-Based Modeling Approach

NIH-funded research New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11126862

This project uses computer simulations to compare how different ways of giving methadone could change treatment access and overdose risk for people with opioid use disorder in New York State.

Quick facts

Grant typeR21 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionNew York University School of Medicine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (New York, United States)
Project IDNIH-11126862 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have opioid use disorder in New York, this project models how different ways of delivering methadone might affect your ability to get treatment and your risk of overdose. The team will build an agent-based computer simulation representing people, clinics, prescribers, and pharmacies across New York State. They will run four policy scenarios—OTP only, mobile methadone units, addiction-specialist prescribing, and primary care prescribing—and track outcomes like treatment uptake, retention, and overdoses. The model will also look at how effects differ across communities and patient groups to highlight who benefits most.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with opioid use disorder who live in New York State—especially those who have trouble reaching current opioid treatment programs—are the population this work focuses on.

Not a fit: People without opioid use disorder or those living outside New York State are unlikely to be directly affected by this project's findings.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: The results could guide policies that make methadone easier to get, potentially increasing treatment access and reducing overdoses for people with OUD.

How similar studies have performed: Computer simulation and agent-based models have been used to inform public health policy before, but applying them to compare office-based and pharmacy methadone delivery in New York is a relatively new and policy-focused use.

Where this research is happening

New York, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.