R. Douglas Bruce, MD, MA, MSc

Chief of Medicine
Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center
New Haven, Connecticut

Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine
Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Yale Center for Clinical Investigation Scholar
Yale University

Instititutional Website

Topics of Professional Interest:

• Integration of addiction, mental illness, and infectious diseases treatments to improve health outcomes
• Adherence research for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatments in drug users
• Adherence research for HIV treatments in drug users
• Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between HIV/HCV/tuberculosis (TB) therapies and treatments for addiction (eg, buprenorphine and methadone)
• HIV and addiction – specific treatments for special populations
• HCV and addiction – specific treatments for special populations
• Neurobiology of addiction
• Drug interactions and HIV/HCV clinical treatments in drug-using populations
• Integrating health care services to improve health outcomes

Current Professional Summary:

Dr Bruce’s scholarly work focuses on the intersection of substance abuse/dependence and infectious diseases, particularly HIV and HCV. Dr Bruce is the recipient of a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Career Development Award to improve health outcomes among drug users at the intersection of infectious diseases (especially HIV and HCV) and addiction. Several specific subthemes are embedded in that overall focus: 1) operational research on structural interventions to integrate systems to improve health outcomes in this population; 2) pharmacokinetic interaction studies between HIV/HCV/TB treatments and treatments for substance dependence (eg, buprenorphine or methadone); 3) ethical issues regarding the conduct of research and the provision of clinical care at the intersection of infectious diseases and addiction.

Dr Bruce has worked clinically in the treatment of HIV and HCV in drug treatment settings, jails and prisons, and in mobile healthcare settings. Dr Bruce has assisted in the development and implementation of buprenorphine in each of these clinical environments. Dr Bruce has worked over the last several years training medical practitioners on evidence-based treatments for addiction and HIV. Dr Bruce has trained clinicians from Armenia, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Moldova, Poland, Tajikistan, the Russia Federation, and Ukraine.

Committees and Organizations:

• 2000-present Yale University, Institute for Social Policy Studies – Bioethics Project on Addiction and Mental Health, Working Research Group
• 2003-present Yale School of Medicine – Human Investigation Committee, Member
• 2006-present Yale Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA), Affiliated Scientist
  The Open Aids Journal, Editorial Advisory Board
  ARV4IDUs Antiretroviral Treatment for Injecting Drug Users: A Quarterly Bulletin, Editorial Consultant

• 2010-present Pangaea Global AIDS Foundation, Lead Harm Reduction Consultant
  “Faculty of 1000”, authoritative online service providing expert opinions of medicine and biology literature, Associate Faculty Member
  Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pain Management Guideline Panel Member

• 2011-present International Doctors for Healthy Drug Policies, Member
  Harm Reduction International Scientific Review Committee, Member

Honors and Awards:

• American Society of Addiction Medicine Diplomat Award (2008)
• Yale Center for Clinical Investigation, Clinical & Translational Science Award (2008)

Education:

• Houston Baptist University, BS, Biology and Chemistry, Cum Laude (1993)
• University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, MD, Internal Medicine (1997)
• Yale University Divinity School, MA, Philosophical Theology (2003)
• Yale University of Public Health, MSc, Chronic Disease Epidemiology (2008)

Selected Publications:

1. Bruce RD, Altice FL. Clinical care of the HIV-infected drug user. Infect Dis Clin North Am. 2007;21:149-79, ix.
2. Bruce RD, Dvoryak S, Sylla L, Altice FL. HIV treatment access and scale-up for delivery of opiate substitution therapy with buprenorphine for IDUs in Ukraine–programme description and policy implications. Int J Drug Policy. 2007;18:326-328.
3. Bruce RD, Govindasamy S, Sylla L, Kamarulzaman A, Altice FL. Lack of reduction in buprenorphine injection after introduction of co-formulated buprenorphine/naloxone to the Malaysian market. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2009;35:68-72.
4. Bruce RD, Altice FL, Moody DE, et al. Pharmacokinetic interactions between buprenorphine/naloxone and tipranavir/ritonavir in HIV-negative subjects chronically receiving buprenorphine/naloxone. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009;105:234-239.
5. Bruce RD, Altice FL, Moody DE, et al. Pharmacokinetic interactions between buprenorphine/naloxone and once-daily lopinavir/ritonavir. JAIDS. 2010;54:511-514.
6. Bruce RD, Kresina TF, McCance-Katz EF. Medication-assisted treatment and HIV/AIDS: aspects in treating HIV-infected drug users. AIDS. 2010;24:331-240.
7. Bruce RD. Methadone as HIV prevention: high volume methadone sites to decrease HIV incidence rates in resource limited settings. Int J Drug Policy. 2010;21:122-124.
8. Bruce RD, Altice FL, Moody DE, Morse GD, Andrews L, Lin S, Fang WB, Ma Q, Friedland GH. Pharmacokinetic Interactions between Buprenorphine/Naloxone and Once-Daily Lopinavir/Ritonavir. Journal of AIDS. 2010 Aug; 54(5):511-4.
9. Bruce RD, Moody DE, Wenfang BF, Chodkowski D, Andrews L, Friedland GH. Tipranavir/Ritonavir Induction of Buprenorphine Glucuronide Metabolism in HIV-Negative Subjects Chronically Receiving Buprenorphine/Naloxone. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 2011 Jul; 37(4):224-8.
10. Bruce RD. Additional Explanation for Lack of Pharmacodynamic Interaction Between Atazanavir and Buprenorphine Reported by Vergara-Rodgriguez et al. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiciency Syndrome. 2011 Dec; 58(4):e112.
11. Bruce RD, Eiserman J, Acosta A, Gote C, Lim JK, Altice FL. Developing a Modified Directly Observed Therapy Intervention for Hepatitis C Treatment in a Methadone Maintenance Program: Implications for Program Replication. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. 2012 May; 38(3):206-12.