Collins responds to criticism of HEAL Initiative

NIH Director Francis Collins responded Friday to concerns from an NIH advisory committee regarding private sector involvement in the recently announced HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative to address the opioid abuse epidemic. In a statement, Collins said the opioid crisis "is beyond the scope of any one organization or sector" and should include contributions from biopharmaceutical companies.

On April 4, Collins revealed the launch of HEAL, which will develop and test treatment models and conduct research to integrate behavioral interventions with medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. The initiative includes a longitudinal study of patients following onset of pain and after surgery as well as public-private partnerships to develop new non-addictive pain medicines (see BioCentury Extra, April 4)...