Prof. Marta Torrens

Marta Torrens, MD, PhD, Specialist in Psychiatry, Professor of Psychiatry at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra and at the Universitat de Vic-Central Catalunya, Coordinator of the Research Group on Addictions at IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institut, Barcelona, coordinator of the Research Network for Primary Care in Addictions (RIAPAd) supported by the Carlos III Health Institute (Instituto de Salud Carlos III), and elected member of the Scientific Committee of the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) and the Informal Scientific Network of UNODC and WHO. She is working in the drug abuse field in clinical, teaching and research. Her main experience is the assessment and treatment of substance use disorders (opioid, cocaine, cannabis, alcohol...), in medical (HIV, VHC) and psychiatric comorbidity among substance users (dual diagnosis), evaluation of new psychoactive substances and a transversal gender perspective in substance use disorders.

The presentation will review the most relevant developments in recent years in the therapeutic approach to Substance Use Disorders (SUD).

We will highlight the shift towards a more patient-centered approach in general rather than exclusively on the frequency and quantity of substance use. Thus, results on quality of life, global functioning, psychosocial functioning and general physical and mental health and well-being are increasingly becoming more relevant. However, the recommendation of shared decision-making between patient and professional, as well as comparative evaluation and synthesis of evidence for the evaluation of addiction treatment services and the dissemination of best practices.

In line with these changes, we would like to highlight that the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the United States is already proposing to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that it consider other results that are associated with clinically significant improvements as the main result for the approval of a new medication for the treatment of different disorders. This implies that it is not essential to obtain total continuous abstinence from consumption as is currently the case for approving a medication for the treatment of a TUS.

In this sense, and due to the special frequency and relevance of insomnia as a symptom in most of the different TUS and its management difficulties, we will discuss the study of a new drug (antiorexin) for the treatment of insomnia in patients with TUS.

Regarding new therapeutic strategies, we will insist on the relevance of long-lasting drugs in addictions, specifically Buprenorphine-Long lasting, because beyond its already proven efficacy, it offers the advantages of increasing accessibility (e.g. fewer trips to centers,…), reducing risks (e.g. less risk of accidental ingestion, illegal trafficking,…) and good acceptance by patients. We will also discuss the role of semaglutide as a new active ingredient that may be useful in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. We will end with a brief mention of the therapeutic use of psychedelics.

• Steiner MA, Yanagisawa M, Clozel M (2021). The Orexin System. Basic Science and Role in Sleep Pathology. Front Neurol Neurosci. Basel, Karger, 2021, vol 45, pp 117–127
• Maremmani I, Dematteis M, Gorzelanczyk EJ, Mugelli A, Walcher S, Torrens M (2023). Long-Acting Buprenorphine Formulations as a New Strategy for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023; 12(17):5575.
• Black N, et al. (2024). An International, Multidisciplinary Consensus Set of Patient-Centered Outcome Measures for Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2024; 13(7):2154.