High quality information on the complex problem of drug misuse is vital. To this end, the national advisory committee on drugs was established two years ago to advise the Government with regard to its prevalence, consequences and treatment. The committee, whose membership comprises a range of academic, community, statutory and voluntary interests, oversees a three year programme of research. It has published an overview of current research into drug prevention and completed reviews of prevalence information and contemporary literature regarding the consequences of drug misuse for families and communities. These reviews have been used to inform further research. In November 2002 it commissioned a longitudinal study of treatment outcomes and in December 2002 published a report on the effectiveness of buprenorphine in the treatment of opiate dependence. It has commissioned an all-Ireland survey of drug use, the results of which are due late this year. An estimate of the number of opiate users should be completed in the next couple of weeks while a review of harm reduction mechanisms for injecting drug misusers in an Irish context is under way. A draft literature review in this area is due by April.