‘Anti-alcoholism’ drug cleared for use in France

April 25, 2012 in Medications

French health authorities have approved the use of a drug, originally designed to treat nervous spasms, for the treatment of alcoholism on a “case by case” basis.

AFSSAPS, the regulator that authorizes drugs, said that while the drug Baclofen had not been definitively shown to be efficient in the treatment of alcoholism, it had shown “clinical benefits in some patients”.

It recommended in a statement that Baclofen — the lab name for a medication branded as Kemstro, Lioresal and Gablofen — should be considered on a “case by case” basis.

The history of the drug goes back 50 years. It was originally designed for epilepsy before becoming licensed to treat spasticity, but researchers are now interested in using it to ease alcoholic craving.

Interest was sparked in 2008 by a book, “Le Dernier Verre” (The Last Drink), by cardiologist Olivier Ameisen, who self-treated his alcoholism with high doses of Baclofen.

The AFSSAPS statement came after French doctors said last month that the drug had cleared an important early test. The trial entailed enrolling 132 heavy drinkers who were given Baclofen at high doses over a year.

Eighty percent either became abstinent or turned into moderate drinkers. By comparison, two drugs that are commonly used to treat alcoholics, naltrexon and acamprosate, yield a success rate of 20-25 percent.

Side effects included fatigue, drowsiness, insomnia, dizziness and digestive troubles.

Lead researcher Philippe Jaury of the University of Paris-Descartes said the outcome opened the door to one-year clinical trials, expected to start in May, in which 320 alcoholics would be divided into two groups.

One batch will receive Baclofen, progressively building in dosage until the craving symptoms subside, while the others will receive an inactive look-a-like pill, or placebo.

France’s health system is paying 750,000 euros ($469,000) of the 1.2-million-euro ($1.45-million) cost of the trial, and an unidentified donor is paying the rest, Jaury told AFP.

The pre-trial study was published in a specialist journal, Alcohol and Alcoholism.

OJJDP FY 2012 Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation Program

 OJJDP FY 2012 Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation Program – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications for its Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Enforcing Underage Drinking Laws Field-Initiated Research and Evaluation Program. This program furthers DOJ’s mission by funding field- initiated studies and evaluations to inform our understanding of the factors that impact the prevention of underage drinking, the enforcement of underage drinking laws, and individuals’ and communities’ attitudes and behaviors about underage drinking. Applicants must register with Grants.gov prior to submitting an application. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on June 04, 2012.

For assistance with any other requirements of this solicitation, contact the Justice Information Center (JIC) at 1–877–927–5657, via e-mail to JIC@telesishq.com, or by live Web chat. JIC hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. eastern time on the solicitation close date

Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act Grants

Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act Grants – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) is accepting applications for fiscal year (FY) 2012 Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) grants. The purpose of this program is to prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth age 12-20 in communities throughout the United States. The STOP Act program was created to strengthen collaboration among communities, the Federal Government, and State, local and tribal governments; to enhance intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on the issue of alcohol use among youth; to serve as a catalyst for increased citizen participation and greater collaboration among all sectors and organizations of a community that first demonstrates a long-term commitment to reducing alcohol use among youth; to disseminate to communities timely information regarding state-of-the-art practices and initiatives that have proven to be effective in preventing and reducing alcohol use among youth; and to enhance, not supplant, effective local community initiatives for preventing and reducing alcohol use among youth. See Appendix F of this RFA for further background information. Current Closing Date for Applications: March 29, 2012.

Drug Free Communities Support Program

Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Drug Free Communities Support Program – The Executive Office of the President, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) are accepting applications for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Drug Free Communities Support Program (DFC) grants. The purpose of the DFC Program is to establish and strengthen collaboration to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. Applications are due by March 22, 2012.

DFC is a collaborative initiative, sponsored by ONDCP, in partnership with SAMHSA, which works to achieve two goals:

• Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, and Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. For the purposes of this RFA, “youth” is defined as individuals 18 years of age and younger.
• Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance abuse.

DFC grantees are required to work toward these two goals as the primary focus of their Federally-funded effort.

The DFC Program was created by the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-20), reauthorized through the Drug Free Communities Reauthorization Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-82), and reauthorized again through the Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 2006 (Public Law 109-469). The latest reauthorization extended the program for an additional five years until 2012. This announcement addresses Healthy People 2020 Substance Abuse Topic Area HP 2020-SA.

Since 1998, ONDCP has awarded approximately 2,000 DFC grants, with up to 30 new awards expected in FY 2012. Grants have been awarded to communities from every region in the nation including rural, urban, suburban, and tribal communities. Additional grantee information is available on the DFC website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/ondcp/Drug-Free-Communities-Support-Program.

Alcohol Education Project Grants (R25)

Alcohol Education Project Grants (R25) The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) supports research programs to advance understanding of the biological and behavioral processes involved in the development, expression, and consequences of alcoholism and other alcohol-related problems. The Institute also supports prevention, treatment, and health services research on alcohol abuse and alcoholism. A part of the NIAAA mission is the dissemination of new knowledge acquired from alcohol research to diverse audiences, including scientists, educators, clinicians, and other health and social service providers, patients and their families, professionals within the criminal justice system, and the general public. This FOA identifies the research activity on alcohol education of Health Professions that NIAAA will consider for award through Education grants (R25). Current Closing Date for Applications: May 07, 2014.

COPS Tribal Methamphetamine Initiative (Tribal Meth) 2010

The COPS Office is pleased to announce the availability of funding under the COPS Tribal Methamphetamine Initiative (Tribal Meth) 2010 grant program. Approximately $4 million is available in FY 2010 to provide funding to tribal law enforcement agencies to support their participation in the development of comprehensive strategies to combat methamphetamine production, use, and trafficking in tribal communities. This program will fund tribes for up to $200,000 to develop or support enhanced tribal-level coordination, and establish and implement tribe-specific action plans to address the health and safety issues of methamphetamine in Indian Country.

The online application system for FY 2010 applicants will be available in early June through the COPS Office website: www.cops.usdoj.gov. This solicitation will open on or around June 8, 2010, and the application deadline will be July 6, 2010. Please note that applications for this program will only be accepted through the COPS website. If you would like more information or require technical assistance during the solicitation process, please contact the COPS Office Response Center at 1.800.421.6770.

Call for Presentations – 12th National Indian Nations Conference

12^th National Indian Nations Conference: Justice for Victims of Crime
“Walking in Harmony: Honoring Victim Voices to Achieve Safety, Justice, and Healing”

 December 9-11, 2010
Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel, Palms Springs, California
Pre-Conference Institutes will be held on December 8, 2010 

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS

Workshop Submission for the 12^th National Indian Nations Conference is Open!

 Online Workshop Submission please visit http://ovcinc.org/cp.aspx

  12^th National Indian Nations Conference Goals:

• Honoring and Listening to Victim/Survivor Voices
• Promoting Safety, Justice, and Healing
• Promoting Traditional Values and Incorporating Traditional Skills in Crime Victim Services
• Supporting and Educating Tribal Leaders
• Honoring Wisdom of the Past
• Working in Harmony
• Sustaining our Legacy
• Healing the Elders

Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment for Juvenile Drug Courts

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for more than $29 Million in Grants to Expand Substance Abuse Treatment for Juvenile Drug Courts.

The purpose of this program is to expand and enhance substance abuse treatment services in courts using the Juvenile Drug Court model in order to provide alcohol and drug treatment, recovery support services and program coordination to juvenile defendants/defenders.

It is expected that up to 27 grants will be awarded for up to three years. The average annual award amount for each grantee is expected to be up to $325,000.

WHO CAN APPLY: SAMHSA/CSAT is restricting eligibility to existing individual Juvenile Drug Courts or their Tribal/State or local governmental proxies who may apply on their behalf.

APPLICATION DUE DATE: Applications must be received by February 23, 2010

Click here to view the solicitation: http://www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2010/TI-10-004.aspx