Researcher | Research Overview
Sharon Levy's research focuses on development of drug use treatment strategies for adolescent patients that can be used in the ambulatory medical setting. In previous work she examined physicians' knowledge, practices and attitudes regarding drug testing of adolescent patients and the use of home drug testing by parents of adolescent children. One of her current projects is to determine the therapeutic efficacy of drug testing adolescent patients with identified drug problems. Another area of interest is the use of Buprenorphine as an ambulatory treatment for opioid-dependent adolescents.
Goals of Dr. Levy's work include:
- Determine how drug testing is used in ambulatory medical practice
- Determine the therapeutic efficacy of drug testing adolescent patients with problem drug use
- Determine the effects of long term administration of Buprenorphine to adolescent patients with opiod dependence
Researcher | Research Background
Dr. Levy, a board certified Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician, is Director of the Adolescent Substance Use and Addiction Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. She is a leader in her field, having served as chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Substance Abuse, regularly advising state and local agencies, and currently serving as President of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse. She co-leads multiple investigations with Dr. Weitzman including around adolescent substance use.