CRISM National Guideline for the Clinical Management of Opioid Use Disorder

CRISM developed the first Canadian guideline for managing opioid use disorders. The guideline lays out the optimal strategies for the treatment of opioid addiction and recommends opioid agonist treatment with buprenorphine-naloxone as the preferred first-line treatment.

National Guideline for the Clinical Management of Opioid Use Disorder (English)

National Guideline for the Clinical Management of Opioid Use Disorder (French)

Summary of Recommendations


National CRISM Project: OPTIMA

Optimizing patient centered-care: A pragmatic randomized control trial comparing models of care in the management of prescription opioid misuse

The use of prescription opioid medications (e.g., oxycodone, hydromorphone) has dramatically increased in recent years in Canada, leading to a rise in opioid misuse and related harms such as hospitalization and deaths due to overdose. Thus, the prevention and treatment of opioid addiction has become an urgent public health priority which requires an evidence-based response that best reflects the needs of patients, families, and the communities they live in.

Although methadone has long been the standard of care for the treatment of opioid use disorder in Canada, there is growing consensus that the superior safety profile of buprenorphine/naloxone, as well as other comparative advantages, supports its use as a first-line therapy for opioid use disorder. The OPTIMA trial aims to evaluate these two treatment options within a Canadian practice‐based framework, generating evidence that is directly relevant to a recognized national priority in public health. The study will incorporate real-world treatment conditions, such as strict regulations for methadone dosing (i.e., dispensed daily at a pharmacy) vs. flexible take-home dosing for buprenorphine/naloxone. The effectiveness of the two treatments in reducing opioid use will be compared in a 6-month, open-label, multi-site pragmatic randomized trial involving over 250 participants recruited from all four CRISM Nodes. The evidence generated from this study will be used to inform patient care and improve overall health outcomes.

Click here for more information about OPTIMA.


CRISM BC Project: Outreach and Needs Assessment for illicit drinkers in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside

EIDGEThe Eastside Illicit Drinkers Group for Education (EIDGE) is a peer-based support and education group affiliated with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU). Non-beverage alcohol drinkers are one of the most marginalized substance using groups in Vancouver and many do not have access to care or accurate information about treatment options.

CRISM BC and EIDGE are working together to lead a community-based peer-led research project to learn about the experiences and health needs of this group. The information gathered will provide local health authorities and communities with a clearer picture of the health and safety concerns of people who drink illicit alcohol and will inform future health service planning. At the same time, the project will serve to connect the illicit drinkers community and inform them about EIDGE.

EIDGE resource - "Safer Drinking Tips: Think Before You Drink"

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