From VR-enhanced therapy to wearable biosensors, new addiction rehabilitation innovations are a hot topic. Below, we have rounded up the most interesting developments that are set to shape the sector’s landscape in the coming year and beyond.

It is important to note that many of these innovations are still being researched, so it remains to be seen which will be most effective. While these new developments may bring improvements we mustn’t lose sight of what we already know that works, such as community-led services and holistic strategies, which new tech will likely support rather than replace. Rehabs UK founder Lester Morse stresses that drug addiction should not just be seen through a public health lens, but treated as a wider societal issue: “Substance use disorders are symptoms of a systemic, socioeconomic type of disease. We cannot hope to eradicate addiction until we treat the deeper issues affecting our society, and until we provide meaningful and comprehensive mental health care to everyone that needs it.”

Increased use of technology

The use of technology is already widespread in all parts of the healthcare sector, and it is only expected to grow. In October 2024, the UK government awarded £12 million to projects researching different ways in which technology can support those who live with addiction, in the hopes that they can help reduce drug deaths.

Wearable technology and app-based rehabilitation programs

Many of the government-funded projects focus on wearable technology that can monitor biometric data, paired with apps that support the user or raise an alarm in the event of an emergency, such as overdose prevention tools. Similar initiatives are already being used in different healthcare settings, such as the Apple Watch’s fall detection function, which alerts emergency services when it detects that the user has had a fall.

Drug overdose prevention tools

Several government-funded projects are researching whether wearable technology can reduce deaths from drug overdose. For example, PneumoWave ALERT uses a chest-worn biosensor that can detect the onset of life-threatening respiratory problems caused by opioid-induced overdose. In an emergency, the system can alert the emergency services and nearby naloxone carriers. Additional research from King’s College London is underway to use this device to monitor how patients are responding to medication prescribed to help with opioid dependence.

Other examples of studies into wearable technology aimed at addressing the drug overdose crisis are NOMW Health (in collaboration with Greater Glasgow and Clyde Innovation Hub and the University of Southampton), Saving SAM, and Scienap (in collaboration with ambulance services led by the Scottish Ambulance Service).

Smartphone apps

Smartphone apps have already been widely integrated into the healthcare sector. There are over 350,000 healthcare apps on the global market, including both patient-facing and clinician-facing applications. Within the addiction rehabilitation sector, there are a large volume of self-help apps that are designed to support someone through their rehabilitation journey. The most common example is smoking cessation apps, for example the NIHR-funded ‘Quit Sense’, which uses AI to help people quit smoking based on their proximity to areas where they would often have smoked in the past.

NIHR and OLS have also funded an interactive app which aims to improve the continuity of post-release care for former prisoners working to stay drug-free.

Virtual-reality enhanced treatment

Virtual reality refers to a 3D environment that can be explored using a headset, giving the illusion of immersion into the virtual world. The Global Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) in Healthcare Market is projected to expand from USD 3.3 billion in 2023 to approximately USD 19.1 billion by 2033. It is already being used to reduce pain symptoms through relaxing and meditative experiences, treatment for loneliness and social isolation, and physical therapy.

Soon, VR-enhanced therapy may be used to address craving and prevent relapse for people with cocaine dependence. As one of the main difficulties of treating addiction is overcoming cravings that are triggered by the environment, a team of researchers at King's College London is investigating whether virtual reality can enhance ‘cue exposure treatment’ tailored to the patient’s experiences.

Teletherapy

Digital healthcare appointments, including counselling and therapy, have seen a dramatic rise since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with around one in three mental health treatments in England being delivered online in 2023. In the coming years, we expect to see the amount of virtual rehabilitation services continue to increase.

Online healthcare services can make treatment more widely available, as it is more accessible and affordable than face-to-face care. Morse explains that in-patient detox services can be costly and difficult to access: "Detox accessibility in the UK is hindered by high costs and underfunded local services with long waiting lists, making the flexible and more affordable option of home detox not just a convenience, but a necessity for many facing the challenging journey towards sobriety."

However, virtual healthcare needs to be accompanied by ongoing support and care. Rehabs UK’s Senior Treatment Advisor Scott Ardley describes home detox aftercare: “Our support extends beyond pre-treatment, continuing through the recovery process and beyond its conclusion. Clients and their families have perpetual access to in-house support groups and WhatsApp groups for immediate assistance whenever required.”

Increased focus on medical intervention

In recent years, we have seen a strong focus on medical intervention in addiction rehabilitation treatment, such as neuroscience treatment and medication. With new research and medical trials being released every few months, and government-funded projects such as ‘naloxone wafers’ having the potential to become widely available, we expect to see this type of medical intervention increase in 2025.

‘Brain zapping’

Doctors at West Virginia University’s Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute are researching whether ‘brain zapping’ with ultrasound waves can help decrease the craving for addictive substances.

The participants are shown images of substances they have a dependence on, while a helmet pulses specific parts of the brain with ultrasound waves. Success at the trial stage may lead to this approach becoming more widely available to patients in the coming years, with testing continuing across 2025.

Naloxone and flumazenil

Naloxone, a drug that can save lives when someone is suffering an opioid overdose, became more widely available in the UK in early 2024. However, the drug needs to be administered as an injection or a nasal spray, which poses significant limitations. One of the government-funded projects from King’s College London is developing ‘naloxone wafers’, which would improve the drug’s accessibility and portability. Similarly, MESOX Limited has developed a skin patch that can administer naloxone and another similar life-saving overdose treatment called flumazenil, which can be used by non-professionals in emergency situations.

New fentanyl vaccine

A US study into the effectiveness of a new fentanyl vaccine is reported to go to human trials soon. If the vaccine proves successful, it would prevent fentanyl addicts from feeling the euphoric effects of the drug, as well as reducing its harmful effects.

As with any medication used in addiction treatment, its effectiveness in reducing addiction-related harm will be dependent on how it is implemented within a wider treatment plan for patients. Without holistic care and continuous support that focuses on treating the source of the issues, patients may be at risk of developing dependence on an alternate substance instead.

Rehab professionals will continue to call for community-led initiatives

AI-based rehab apps, virtual reality treatments and new medical advances may represent the future, but will they actually work?

While these new innovations may prove beneficial, Rehabs UK founder Lester Morse remains sceptical about their effectiveness if they are not supported by a wider strategy of community-led services: “After over three decades of witnessing government rollouts of successive addiction treatment strategies, from harm minimisation and methadone programs to local drug support charities, I've been repeatedly asked to set aside my so-called "negative" opinions and give each new initiative a chance.

“Yet in reality, the death rates continue to rise each year, prisons are overflowing, and untold suffering continues to devastate countless families across the country. We are spending more money on addiction treatment than ever before in history, yet the facts suggest that many of these approaches may be worsening the problem.”

• The total cost of drugs to society exceeds £19 billion annually—more than double the value of the illicit drugs market.
• There were 2,489 drug-related deaths in the first half of 2024 alone.
• For every £1 spent on effective addiction treatment, the country gets a £4 return. Yet, a history of Conservative governments slashing local authority funding left vital addiction services in dire straits by the time our new government came in.

Rehabs UK is not alone in calling for increased funding for community-led rehabilitation services. Rehab professionals across the UK have published similar concerns, including addiction advocacy and campaigning service FAVOR UK, Professor of Neuropharmacology at the University of Central Lancashire Colin Davidson, and the world’s first Professor of Addiction Recovery David Best.

Morse continues: “The best approach relies on strong, well-equipped recovery communities that can foster mind recovery and relationship building. People need genuine human connections to be healthy and content. We all grapple with the challenges of the human condition, and some people need a lot more support to learn how to face those struggles and grow.

“My opinion is based on years of experience working with thousands of individuals recovering from severe addiction. I’ve seen people open their minds without the need for drugs, maintain their sobriety through immense struggles and adversity, often within supportive recovery communities and with the help of others—all following detox and without additional cost to taxpayers.”

There are many examples of successful recovery communities, which deserve just as much investment and attention as the innovations discussed above. Morse shares: “I believe the University of Birmingham’s “Better Than Well” collegiate programme, as discussed by Luke Trainor on our Altered Attitudes podcast, is an exceptional initiative that should be formally recognised and funded as a second- and third-stage treatment option for individuals seeking help with addiction. This programme includes all the essential elements of a robust recovery and support system, with the added benefit of real-world personal and professional development. It has the potential to be a vital component of future addiction treatment programmes!”

Related reading: Experts urge the new government to rethink ineffective drug policies.