Lead: GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment and health outcomes in methadone-treated patients with opioid use disorder and diabetes

Lead: GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment and health outcomes in methadone-treated patients with opioid use disorder and diabetes

What insights can experts and survivors share about addiction? This fast-paced briefing from the American Society of Addiction Medicine lines up a week’s worth of research headlines so you’ll get a sharp snapshot of where the science is heading.

Host Zach Caruso runs through several new studies, starting with the lead item on “GLP-1 receptor agonist treatment and health outcomes in methadone-treated patients with opioid use disorder and diabetes.” Drawing on data from 9,000 patients, the summary highlights that those prescribed GLP-1 RAs had fewer heart attacks, better sustained remission from opioid use disorder, and fewer overdoses, depression and anxiety episodes, and suicidal thoughts.

As Zach notes, “T2D occurs in more than 1 in 5 methadone-treated patients with OUD, and GLP-1 RAs may offer multiple benefits to these patients.” You’ll also hear about a comparison of two smartphone-based contingency management programmes for stimulant use disorder, where higher total incentives were linked with more negative drug tests. It’s a neat reminder that sometimes, paying people properly to engage in treatment really does matter.

The update continues with a small trial of once-weekly semaglutide in adults who smoke daily. While it didn’t cut cigarettes per day, it did reduce cravings and body weight, hinting at potential future directions rather than offering instant solutions.

For those interested in longer-term harms and treatment access, there’s a study on antenatal opioid exposure and reduced cortical surface area in newborns, plus a qualitative piece on how misinformation about buprenorphine in primary care — such as “substituting one harmful drug for another” — can block treatment, and how brief support can start to shift those beliefs.

The episode closes with a systematic review of tianeptine misuse, withdrawal, and clinical management, underlining opioid-like risks behind a product often sold as a supplement. If you care about evidence-based addiction care and like your updates short, sharp, and science-focused, this round-up is an easy way to stay informed.