Substance use disorders disproportionally contribute to the global burden of disease; however, their treatment has been hindered in large part due to a long-standing "bench to practice" gap in which competencies for assessing, treating and preventing substance use disorders are often lacking from healthcare education curricula. Immediate and effective translation of recent advances in addiction research into routine clinical practice requires specialized training programmes for health professionals involved in the care of patients and families affected by substance use disorders.
