Final Recommendation Statement:

Primary Care–Based Drug Use Prevention in Young People

Final Recommendation Statement: Primary Care–Based Interventions to Prevent Illicit Drug Use in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force released today a final recommendation statement on primary care–based interventions to prevent illicit drug use in children, adolescents, and young adults. The Task Force found that more research is needed on how clinicians can help keep young people from starting to use drugs. To view the recommendation, the evidence on which it is based, and a summary for clinicians, please go here. The final recommendation statement can also be found in the May 26, 2020 online issue of JAMA.

The Final Recommendation Statement Is Available

FINAL RECOMMENDATION SUMMARY

See the full statement

Population

Recommendation

Grade

Children, adolescents, and young adults

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of primary care–based behavioral counseling interventions to prevent illicit drug use, including nonmedical use of prescription drugs, in children, adolescents, and young adults. See the Practice Considerations section for suggestions for practice regarding the I statement.

WHY THIS MATTERS

“Finding effective ways for clinicians to help keep youth from starting to use drugs is critical to the health and well-being of our communities,” says Task Force member Michael Silverstein, M.D., M.P.H. “Unfortunately, the Task Force still cannot make a recommendation due to gaps in evidence, so we are renewing our call for more research.”