Is DNA a predictor of opioid addiction?

Bentley University, in the US state of Massachusetts, and Gravity Diagnostics, in the state of Kentucky, have formed a partnership to determine whether DNA is a predictor of addiction to opioids.

The research could apprise physicians prescribing opioids to treat pain how probable it is that a patient will become addicted to the drugs and inform them how people who already have an opioid addiction might respond to various treatments.

The study will address the progression from prescription opioid use to drug addiction, which is a major concern in the US today. According to the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 20% of people misuse the prescriptions they receive for opioids to manage chronic pain. The result is over 115 deaths daily from opioid overdoses, and about 80% of people who use heroin first became addicted to drugs by misusing prescription opioids.

The researchers will evaluate individuals’ DNA to see to what degree they are susceptible to opioid addiction based on their genetic makeup. For individuals already addicted to opioids, the researchers will determine the probability of a positive response to both opioid and non-opioid treatment therapies.

The results of the study could have a wide effect on whether physicians prescribe opioids to mitigate pain for some patients, the prescribed dosage levels, and treatment strategies for those already addicted.

The study’s first phase will use data analytics to determine the patients’ genetic features that best predict future addiction. After identifying the relevant genetic indicators, the researchers will evaluate the predictions by comparing the DNA of the study participants to the DNA of individuals who are already addicted to opioids and recovering addicts.