Quality Standards in Drug Use Disorder Treatment – Reading List
In this reading list, we provide resources to help engage our members with the latest knowledge, tools, and case studies on quality standards in substance use disorder treatment. These materials highlight international frameworks, research-backed practices, and country-level initiatives designed to improve access, strengthen systems, and ensure safe, ethical, and effective care.
Together, they offer a practical foundation for policy-makers, service providers, researchers, and healthcare professionals to reflect on what “quality” means in treatment and how to achieve it across diverse contexts.
1. UNODC/WHO International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders
The International Standards provide globally agreed principles for ethical, research-backed treatment, covering system organisation, treatment modalities, and care for special populations. They serve as a guide for countries developing or reforming treatment systems.
2. Webinar: From Standards to Action – Ensuring Quality in Drug Treatment Services
This webinar explores how international Quality Standards translate into practice, highlighting their role in reducing health and social harms while promoting coordinated, cost-efficient, and person-centred services. It presents the development of the UNODC/WHO Quality Assurance Toolkit and introduces three practical tools for strengthening service quality, national systems, and medication-assisted treatment worldwide.
👉 The recording will be available soon on our website — stay tuned!
3. Quality Assurance for Drug Use Disorder Treatment
Over 38 million people worldwide live with substance use disorders, yet only a fraction have access to the treatment they need — creating enormous health, social, and economic costs. To address this, the UNODC/WHO International Standards and a companion Quality Assurance Toolkit provide countries with practical guidance to build ethical, accessible, and patient-centred services that strengthen recovery, and support sustainable development.
4. Key Quality Standards for Drug Use Disorder Treatment Services
Developed through broad international collaboration, these standards offer a clear framework to ensure safe, effective, and ethical services while supporting global health priorities outlined in the SDGs. Organised into four pillars—service management, patient-centred care, access to research-backed interventions, and protection of health and human rights — they provide a flexible checklist for evaluating facilities, strengthening systems, and guiding national QA processes.
This UNODC discussion paper presents findings from a scoping review that maps existing literature on treatment quality and patient outcomes in substance use disorder services. By collating and analysing evidence, it highlights how specialist, research-backed, and accessible treatment can drive better health outcomes and support informed policy-making worldwide.
This short document provides a practical introduction to implementing quality standards in drug demand reduction. Rather than duplicating detailed resources, it serves as an accessible entry point, linking to wider literature and highlighting the main issues that practitioners need to consider when planning and managing quality assurance processes. The guide presents six reflection steps — from diagnosis to intervention selection, assessment, and evaluation — adapted from established public health models. Flexible and adaptable to local, regional, or national contexts, it is designed to help maximise the value of any quality assurance initiative while recognising that there is no single correct approach.
7. The Relationship Between Person-Centred Care for Substance Use Disorders and Service Outcomes
This paper explores the role of person-centred care as a key dimension of treatment quality, showing how tailoring services to individual needs improves engagement and long-term outcomes. Based on a systematic review of the literature, it identifies which aspects of patient-centred care are most strongly associated with effective, ethical, and sustainable treatment services.
8. A Review of the Quality of Drug Treatment, Sustained Recovery and Related Support Services
This report analyses data provided to assess how treatment and recovery services align with international standards, focusing on the availability and coverage of psychosocial, behavioural, and pharmacological interventions. The findings reveal regional differences and highlight both achievements and gaps, underscoring the need for improved quality and equitable access to research-backed care worldwide.
9. The Meaning of Quality in Drug Treatment, Care, and Rehabilitation
Presented at the 66th Commission on Narcotic Drugs, this paper reflects on global perspectives of what constitutes “quality” in substance use treatment and rehabilitation, emphasising research-backed and patient-centred approaches. It draws on international experiences to identify good practices and challenges, reinforcing the importance of continuous improvement and stronger quality assurance systems.
This reference handbook offers practical guidance on how to manage treatment services for drug and alcohol use disorders in alignment with the International Key Quality Standards (2021). It provides broad, adaptable recommendations designed to promote quality, ensure effectiveness, and improve patient outcomes—while recognising that services differ across countries and local contexts. A valuable resource for practitioners, policymakers, and service managers committed to strengthening treatment systems.
Presented by ISSUP and ICQ, this webinar introduces the handbook and explores how funders, leaders, and managers can operationalise quality standards in diverse treatment contexts. It highlights real-world strategies for ethical, effective, and efficient service management.
Country Spotlights
Across different regions, countries are adapting and applying Quality Assurance mechanisms to strengthen their treatment systems. These initiatives demonstrate how international standards can be translated into practical action at the local level.
