R. Douglas Bruce, M.D., M.A.

Clinical Instructor of Medicine

Clinical Interests

Dr. Bruce's interest is at the intersection of substance abuse and infectious diseases, particularly HIV and Hepatitis C. Dr. Bruce pursues this interest through both clinical and research activities. Dr. Bruce is currently the Medical Director of Project BEST which is a SAMHSA funded project to expand opioid agonist therapy with buprenorphine for HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected but at risk drug users. In addition, Dr. Bruce provides primary HIV care on the Community Health Care Van Project (a risk reduction mobile medical clinic), the Department of Corrections' New Haven Community Correctional Center, and Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Research Interests

Dr. Bruce's research interests include the integration of buprenorphine into novel clinical settings. Dr. Bruce is co-principal investigator on the Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) from HRSA on integrating buprenorphine into HIV clinical settings. In addition, Dr. Bruce is Medical Director of a prospective cohort study following opioid dependent patients longitudinally on buprenorphine. In addition to clinical integration and improvements in outcomes for patients, Dr. Bruce is interested in the pharmacological interactions between HIV medications and buprenorphine. Dr. Bruce is principal investigator on two pharmacokinetic studies evaluating the effects of two separate HIV medications on the pharmacokinetics of buprenorphine as well as the effect of buprenorphine on the HIV medications. Dr. Bruce is also interested in the bioethical concerns regarding the research of vulnerable human subjects such as substance users. Dr. Bruce serves as a primary reviewer for the Yale Human Investigation Committee and is also a member of the Yale Bioethics Project.

Education

B.S., Houston Baptist University, 1993, (Cum laude)

M.D., University of Texas Southwestern Medical School at Dallas, 1997

M.A., Yale University Divinity School, philosophical theology, 2003

American Board of Internal Medicine, November 2000

Certified for the prescription of buprenorphine, SAMHSA, DEA, June 2003

American Academy of HIV Medicine, 2005-2006

Recent Publications

• Bruce RD., Altice, FL. Editorial Comment "Why Treat Three Diagnoses When It Is One Patient?"AIDS Reader, 13(8) Aug 2003:378-9.
• Altice FL, Mezger JA, Hodges J, Bruce RD, Marinovich A, Walton M, Springer S, Friedland GH. "Developing a Directly Administered Antiretroviral Therapy Intervention for HIV Infected Drug Users: Implications for Program Replication."Clinical Infectious Diseases, 2004, 38 (Suppl 5):S376-87.
• Smith-Rohrberg D, Bruce RD , Altice, FL. "Review of Corrections Based Therapy for Opiate-Dependent Patients: Implications for Buprenorphine Treatment Among Correctional Populations."Journal of Drug Issues, Spring 2004; 34(2):451-480.
• Altice, FL, Bruce, RD. "Hepatitis C Virus Infection In United States Correctional Institutions."Current Science - Current Hepatitis Reports Vol 3: 112-118; August 2004.
• Altice FL, Bruce RD, Walton M, Buitrago M. "Adherence to Hepatitis B Virus Vaccination At Syringe Exchange Sites."Journal of Urban Health. March 2005 (In Press)
• Kresina TF, Bruce RD, Cargill VA, and Cheever LW. "Integrating HCV Care and HIV Primary Care for the Injection Drug User Coinfected with HIV and HCV."Clinical Infectious Diseases 2005 (In Press).
• Kresina TF, Eldred L, Bruce RD , Francis H. "Integration of Pharmacotherapy for Opioid Addiction into HIV Primary Care."AIDS. 2005 (In press).

Contact

Campus Address
135 College Street, Suite 3

E-mail
douglas.bruce@yale.edu

Office Phone
(203) 737-1370

Fax
(203) 737-4051