title: Impact of in-patient research participation on subsequent heroin use patterns: implications for ethics and public health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Research on drug dependence often involves the administration of drugs of abuse to experienced drug users under controlled laboratory conditions. The primary objective of this study was to assess whether participation in such research alters the frequency of heroin use by non-treatment-seeking opioid-dependent volunteers after study completion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were examined from four in-patient studies involving controlled opioid administration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Substance Use Research Center at Columbia University, New York State Psychiatric Institute.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-nine heroin-dependent volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants' self-reported heroin use prior to and 1 month after study participation was compared using a Wilcoxon test. Because a number of participants reported that they had stopped using heroin, a logistic regression was used to identify correlates of heroin cessation 1 month after study completion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred and one participants entered laboratory studies and 69 completed them. Self-reported heroin use significantly decreased 1 month after study participation [1.7 (±2.0) bags per day] compared to baseline [6.8 (±4.2) bags per day], P < 0.001 among the 69 completers. In addition, 42% of the completers were heroin-abstinent 1 month after study completion. Being African American, having a history of opioid dependence treatment, reporting heavier heroin use at baseline and a longer history of heroin use were correlated with cessation of heroin use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participation in opioid administration studies does not increase subsequent heroin use and for some individuals leads to accessing opioid dependence treatment and cessation of heroin use in the short term.
authors.affiliation: Substance Use Research Center, NYSPI, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Perrine
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roux
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tindall
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fugon
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Suzanne K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Vosburg
authors.forename: Phillip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saccone
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Jeanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Manubay
authors.forename: Ziva D
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Jermaine D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Foltin
authors.forename: Sandra D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Comer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics*; D032984:Ethics, Research; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D057566:Self Report; D036302:Therapeutic Human Experimentation / Q000941:ethics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid