Drug Dependence Research synthesizes epidemiology, neurobiology, clinical trials, and implementation science to guide better prevention and treatment. This page turns research methods into decisions: when to trust effect sizes, how to read pragmatic trials vs RCTs, and how to translate findings into routine care without overgeneralizing. If you’re scanning a substance use research conference, you’ll find guidance on biomarkers and digital phenotyping, ethical issues, and community-based participatory research that elevates lived experience. Because evidence must land in clinics, we link to Real-World Evidence in Psychiatry for methods that bridge trials and practice.

We outline design trade-offs, measurement pitfalls, and equity concerns—who is excluded, what outcomes matter, and how to avoid widening gaps. Implementation sections cover fidelity vs adaptation, cost-effectiveness, and scaling through policy levers. Safety and stigma are ethical anchors; consent and privacy protect participants, especially in justice-involved and marginalized groups. Data dashboards help sites learn from themselves, while registries and learning health systems connect results across regions to accelerate improvement.