Establishing evidence-based pharmacologic treatments for neonatal abstinence syndrome: A retrospective case study

Translation of research discoveries into health impact can take many years, creating delays in improving clinical outcomes. One approach to promoting timely translation is to examine successful cases in order to understand facilitators and strategies for overcoming barriers. We examined the development of evidence-based management for neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) at one academic medical center, with a primary focus on pharmacologic treatment. Despite a substantial increase in NAS case incidence starting in the early 2000s, significant sociocultural, policy, and regulatory barriers limited collaborative NAS research. Facilitators for translation encompassed: 1) pursuing research of societal interest, 2) building an effective interdisciplinary team, 3) intentionally linking clinical, research, and advocacy efforts, 4) broad stakeholder engagement across clinical, policy, and research arenas, and 5) leveraging local resources. Challenges included lack of commercially available U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved neonatal drug formulations, legal and regulatory barriers related to off-label and illicit use of opioids, recruitment for a treatment associated with drug withdrawal syndromes, misalignment of research design needs with real-world scenarios, and episodic funding. Benefits of successful translation included improvements in clinical care, reduced healthcare costs related to NAS, and enhanced legislative, policy, and research strategies to support broader neonatal investigations.