Brian Galvin, Programme Manager for Drug and Alcohol Research at the HRB, works daily forging links between the drugs research and policy communities. More recently, he was appointed Chair of Ireland’s National Drugs Strategy (NDS) Research Subcommittee on Drugs. In this interview, he explains the Subcommittee’s role and how joining the dots between research and policy can help address the challenges drugs pose to Irish society.

What is the NDS Research Subcommittee and how did you get involved?

The Research Subcommittee is one of a number of new groups established by the Department of Health to support implementation of the NDS. The aim is to ensure the research and monitoring actions of the strategy are carried out efficiently, so that drugs policy can be informed by data and evidence.

As a member of the overarching NDS National Oversight Committee representing the Health Research Board, I was asked to chair this Subcommittee. While basic research and monitoring work is already decided in agreement between the Department of Health and the HRB, the Subcommittee will widen the lens to discuss how the broader sphere of drugs research can support policy goals.

And who are its members?

Anyone invited to join the Subcommittee said yes, which was a great start. We have 10 members ranging from senior academics, epidemiologists and data scientists, to representatives from civil society organisations, the Health Service Executive and the Department of Health.

What is on the agenda for a typical meeting?

We meet quarterly and report back to the National Oversight Committee. On the one hand, these meetings are a space to discuss research: members share details from the projects they are working on, and my hope is that this will evolve into a forum to look at broader trends in due course. On the other hand, it’s a place for the research community to learn about developments in policy and funding. We invite speakers to talk about national and European funding opportunities, or legislation relevant for research such as the new Health Information Bill. By connecting researchers with policy in this way, they can be ready for changes on the horizon.

What do you hope to achieve through the work of the Subcommittee?

One of our main aims is to build capacity within the research community in Ireland, by fostering a network of people working in academia and beyond with an interest in the drugs arena. We have many top-notch researchers at universities and public health departments in Ireland, but our resources to do dedicated drugs and alcohol research are not yet at the level of other countries. By bringing people together in a network, they can find new ways to cooperate and in time we will be in a position to join European partners in accessing EU funding programmes, for example.

A second key aim is to make better use of the excellent drugs and alcohol data we already have here in Ireland. For example, two Subcommittee members are now being funded under HRB secondary data analysis awards, working with existing data to answer specific policy needs. They will bring their experience from these projects to the table, allowing others to tap into their knowledge.

So the idea is that by building research capacity, you can support policy to tackle challenges arising from problem drug and alcohol use – can you share an example of how research has supported drugs policy in the past?

Yes, the hope is that building this network will help researchers take advantage of opportunities to fund new projects, which can feed back into policy by providing evidence where it’s needed.

Our data informs policy and services planning on a daily basis. But one spectacular example of a new policy initiative emerging from research is the introduction of supervised injection facilities for people who use heroin and similar drugs. 10 or 15 years ago it was taboo to even raise this topic, yet in 2018 a law was passed paving the way for these facilities in Ireland. Our data and research on drug-related deaths played a key part in making this happen, as the evidence showed that this approach can save lives and reduce harm.

Looking ahead to new developments in drugs research, what emerging trends do you think will be relevant for the Subcommittee and broader research community going forward?

One area that’s caught my interest in the last few years is foresight. Foresight is about preparedness for change, and the drugs field is defined by change. It’s not about predicting the future, however, but looking at current trends and shaping a certain amount of the response before it happens.

In Ireland, for instance, a drug situation which was defined by opioid use for so many years is changing: young people are far less likely to use opioids now, but a serious problem is emerging with stimulants such as cocaine. We have shown we can manage opioids well – it has taken time but people who need treatment are in treatment, there are fewer deaths and diseases because of harm reduction measures. But as the landscape changes we will have to be ready to adjust. Combining the excellent data we have with a 360-degree view of trends in demographics, culture or nightlife can put us in a position to prepare policy responses for different scenarios. This is surely one of the topics the Subcommittee will have on its radar over the months and years ahead.

More about Brian Galvin

Brian joined the HRB in 2001. As well as being Programme Manager for Drug and Alcohol Research at the HRB, he also heads up the Irish Focal Point of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), manages the HRB National Drugs Library and is editor of Drugnet Ireland. As a member of the National Oversight Committee for Ireland’s National Drugs Strategy (NDS), he has recently been appointed Chair of the NDS Research Subcommittee on Drugs.