About

Established in August 2017 and funded by the Scottish Government, the Drugs Research Network for Scotland (DRNS) aims to develop collaborative research across disciplines, organisations and countries to generate high-quality evidence that will inform developments in policy and practice.

DRNS is a collaboration of:

  • academics,
  • peer researchers,
  • policy-makers,
  • service planners & providers,
  • people with lived / living experience of problem drug use, and
  • affected family members.

Our vision

The DRNS aims to develop a Scottish drugs research strategy to build capacity, maximise research investment and deliver robust, high-quality research evidence to inform policy and practice relevant to problem drug use and recovery in Scotland. As well as facilitating collaboration across Scotland, we will also develop links with leading researchers elsewhere in the UK and in other countries.

Our values

The following values guide the work of the DRNS. We will:

  • commit to the highest standards of excellence and ethical conduct, including the management of potential conflicts of interest,
  • ensure that all DRNS-sponsored research is delivered in accordance with the Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care,
  • foster a culture of respect, dignity, transparency and fairness in all our operations,
  • advocate dialogue as a means of balancing the diverse views on drug misuse,
  • be sensitive to the diversity of our membership and aim for consensus decision-making.

Read more about who we are, and what we do, on our team page.