Levels of Evidence in Drug Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorders and Illicit Drug Use

Substance-related disorders are clinically and socially very important. In Germany over a million people of varying ages are affected. Depending on the substance and stage of treatment, drugs and different treatment methods are used. Through a literature search we examined the current knowledge of what drugs and therapies are used to date, and what randomised trials have been carried out to prove the efficacy of drug therapy. The aim was to define for each drug or pharmacological therapy a specific level of evidence. For the pharmacological treatment of alcohol, cocaine and opiate withdrawal syndromes and their relapses, prophylaxis or replacement therapy drugs are found to have a high level of evidence. Efficacy has been proven scientifically for processes such as behaviour therapy, contingency management or motivational interviewing.