Talking Point: Pharmacotherapies for addiction: an update from the clinical trial team at Turning Point
Overview
There have been few innovations in medication treatment for addiction in the past decade, and consumers and clinicians have been faced with a limited range of options. Victorians now have the opportunity to participate in clinical trials of novel medications for addiction. Turning Point are involved in trials for methamphetamine (N-ICE: N-Acetylcysteine for Ice; and LiMA: Lisdexamfetamine for Methamphetamine Addiction) and opioid use disorder (DEBUT: Long Acting Injectable Buprenorphine).
Come and hear from the Turning Point pharmacotherapy clinical trial team, led by Dr Shalini Arunogiri, and hear firsthand about their experiences of these trials and expectations of how this will impact on treatment in the sector.
The team will have a Q&A session about current medication trials, and how to refer potential participants.
Presenter
Dr Shalini Arunogiri 
(MBBS Hons, FRANZCP Cert Addiction Psychiatry PhD MPsychiatry MSc (Addiction Studies)) is Clinical Lead at Turning Point (Statewide Specialist Clinical Services), a Consultant Addiction Psychiatrist, Senior Lecturer (Monash University) and Chair of the RANZCP Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry. Her clinical and research interests include stimulant (methamphetamine) use disorder and related co-morbidity, and women’s health and addictive disorders.
Shalini leads the addiction pharmacotherapy clinical trial team at Turning Point, and will present with her team, including psychiatry registrar Dr Vicky Phan, nurses Ms Michelle Sharkey and Ms Temika Mu, and research staff Mr Ramez Bathish, Ms Davinia Rizzo and Mr Rowan Dowling.