Our mission

Heroin addiction is a matter of major concern for public health. Besides all the issues related to its pathophysiology, phenomenology and treatment, it is also linked to many other healthcare fields, such as infective diseases, with special regard to infection by human immunodeficiency virus, mental health, due to the worthsome rate of psychiatric comorbidity among heroin addicts, and medical prevention of criminal behaviour. Although such aspects are also linked to the abuse of other psychoactive drugs, such as cocaine, amphetamines and alcohol, knowledge about heroin addiction is more solid, and has been built around the features of effective treatments dating back to the middle nineteen-sixties. Thereby, research about anticraving drugs is being performed along the deadline of heroin addiction. Possible collateral fields of research are represented by the study of analgesic properties of opiate drugs, and the primary psychotropic properties of opiate agonist and antagonists, which latter cannot actually be easily run in non-addicted psychiatric population, despite the long-dating knowledge about the effectiveness of opiate agonists upon aggressiveness, dysphoria and acute anxiety.

Other scientific magazines deal with drug-related issues from a variety of viewpoints. Nevertheless, none is selectively dedicated to heroin addiction except Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems. So, key concepts about addiction diagnosis and treatment coming from the field of opiate research fail to be highlighted out of an opiate-centered perspective. For instance, research about addiction to other substances (alcohol and nicotine included) does often miss to treat treatment-related subjects in a long-term perspective, studies about short-term interventions prevailing more that it happens in the field of opiate addiction research. Key issues about stigma and false beliefs about the nature of addiction and the principles of anticraving treatment are often discussed when it is the case of opiate, while they are often neglected when it is the case of other substances, although those problems share the same psychopathological backgrounds and treatment needs.

Up to date, Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems has tried to inform about opiate addiction research and bridge it to related medical and non-medical skills, though maintaining two principles: the medical-centered vision of addictive diseases, and a multicultural approach welcoming contributions from countries with different histories and traditions of addiction epidemics and treatment. Thereby, readers can have a comparative view of the same theoretical solutions challenged with different cultural contexts and health politics.

Members of the scientific society (Europad) direcly underlying the magazine have been regularly meeting at dedicated congresses, and sections organized by Europad have had the honour to be included within programs of international meeting about drug research and policy.

On the whole, Heroin Addiction and Related Clinical Problems offers a unique source of scientific information about substance abuse and addictive diseases, constantly recalling from concepts and therapeutic categories which have proved useful and effective in this field, in order to promote reflections and give hints for future research rooted in the body of knowledge about this successfully curable form of addiction.