The EU drugs agency (the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction) has a new-look fest practice portal. Designed as a practical and reliable source of what works, and what doesn’t, in drug-related prevention, treatment, harm reduction and social reintegration, the portal helps practitioners and professionals to:

• identify tried and tested interventions quickly,
• allocate resources to what’s effective,
• evaluate and improve interventions applying practical tools, standards and guidelines, and
• take better decisions, gaining from experience and expertise across Europe.

Summarising the evidence in plain language, demystifying terminology and answering real questions from the field (through a dynamic FAQ section), the re-designed portal provides an accessible tool to support the development of evidence-based interventions. Information is presented in top-level ‘answer sheets’, supplemented by underlying levels setting out the most recent evidence. Links to further information sources are available throughout the resource.

With the new portal, the EMCDDAaims to bridge the gap between scientific evidence and current practice in the drugs field. By enhancing the communication of evidence, it aims to promote the sharing of best practice between countries and better inform decision-making processes, both at national and European level. Intended as a ‘living product’, it will be regularly updated as new information and research on interventions emerge.