Applied Research

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) should implement a fast-track review process for any new evidence-based technology supporting substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatments.[1]

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) should fast-track the creation of Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes for Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved technology-based treatments, digital interventions, and biomarker-based interventions. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) should develop a means to evaluate behavior modification apps for effectiveness.[1]

Federal departments and agencies should make mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) data collection and reporting a top priority by finalizing a proposed rule to require states to report on MH/SUD measures in Medicaid, creating a common MH/SUD data model and reporting portal that all recipients of federal MH/SUD funds must use, reestablishing the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Data Council, and adding new MH/SUD vital statistics records to the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) that are updated monthly.

Congress should pass legislation such as the Mental Health Research Accelerator Act to provide a tax credit to offset expenses for translational research relating to neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric conditions.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should undertake the same type of thorough review on the safety and efficacy of new potential medications like psychedelics as it does for all possible medications.

Congress should provide additional resources to the National Institutes of Health to increase research in concert with the pharmaceutical industry to develop and test innovative medications for substance use disorders (SUDs), including long-acting injectables, more potent opioid antagonists to reverse overdose, drugs used for detoxification, and vaccines, and treatments for stimulant use disorder.[1]