1. VACS Opioids Workgroup
William C. Becker, MD
Co-Director
E. Jennifer Edelman, MD, MHS
Co-Director
Members: Kathleen Akgun, Declan Barry, Geetanjoli Banerjee, Stephen Crystal, Julie Gaither, Adam Gordon, Kirsha Gordon, Joseph Goulet, Robert Kerns, Kevin Kraemer, Brandon Marshall, Jessica Merlin, Brent Moore, Melissa Skanderson, Janet Tate, Amy Justice, and David Fiellin

2. Recent VACS Opioids Workgroup Highlights (2015-2016)
Peer Reviewed Publications
Becker WC et al. Trends in any and high-dose opioid analgesic receipt among aging patients with and without HIV. AIDS Behavior 2016 Mar; 20(3):
Gaither JR et al. The Effect of Substance Use Disorders on the Association Between Guideline-concordant Long-term Opioid Therapy and All-cause Mortality. J Addict Med Nov/Dec;10(6):
Banerjee G et al. Non-medical use of prescription opioids is associated with heroin initiation among US veterans: a prospective cohort study. Addiction Nov;111(11):
Edelman EJ et al. The impact of prescribed opioids on CD4 cell count recovery among HIV-infected patients newly initiating antiretroviral therapy. HIV Med Nov;17(10):
Gaither JR et al. The Association Between Receipt of Guideline-Concordant Long-Term Opioid Therapy and All-Cause Mortality. J Gen Intern Med May;31(5):
Weisberg DF et al. Long-term Prescription of Opioids and/or Benzodiazepines and Mortality Among HIV-Infected and Uninfected Patients. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Jun 1;69(2):
Dissertation-Related Work
Julie Gaither, PhD, MPH, RN - Yale University School of Public Health, 2015 graduate
Geetanjoli Banerjee, Brown University
New Grants
NIDA RO1 “Non-medical use of prescription opioids among HIV-infected individuals: trajectories and impact on healthy outcomes” (DA A1)