We conducted research on addiction to strong prescription painkillers (opioids) in patients with chronic pain. First, we found that opioid use in the Netherlands is stable, and there is no crisis like in the US. We also observed that patients with chronic pain and opioid addiction often experience mood disorders, which increases their overall disease burden. Finally, we compared different treatment options. Treatment involves tapering opioids or switching to another opioid (buprenorphine or methadone). It is not yet clear which of these medications is preferable.
Hannah Ellerbroek (1993) obtained a master’s degree in Neurobiology at the University of Amsterdam in 2019. In 2020, Hannah began her PhD on prescription opioid use disorder at the Radboud University Medical Center. After her PhD contract ended, Hannah started working at the Knowledge Center for Child and Youth Psychiatry in Utrecht.