OPIOID USE

This study tested whether a one-on-one talk with a pharmacist, who created a personalized plan, could help people with non-cancer pain stop taking strong opioids sooner. About 100 adults in a hospital rheumatology department took part. The goal was to see if the plan kept opioid …

This study tested a program to help adults who take prescribed opioid medications and also drink alcohol reduce their use of both. Researchers worked with 112 people from community pharmacies to see if the program was acceptable and effective. The goal is to prevent harm from mix…

This study tested a program to help adults with chronic pain, anxiety, and depression who were taking long-term opioids. The program added a pharmacist, a social worker, and a community health worker to the care team to support safer opioid use. The goal was to reduce high-dose p…

This study tested whether a mobile health unit that offers addiction treatment, HIV care, and prevention in one place can help people who inject drugs get the care they need. 447 adults with opioid use disorder and recent injection drug use took part. The goal was to see if this …

This study tested whether a trained peer recovery specialist could help low-income, minority individuals stay on their methadone treatment for opioid use disorder. The approach used a brief behavioral activation program called Peer Activate, compared to usual care. 200 participan…

This study looked at whether giving people with chronic pain discounted vouchers for medical cannabis could help them use fewer opioid painkillers. About 270 adults who already had medical cannabis certification took part. Researchers tracked their opioid use over time to see if …

This study tested a tool called PainTracker to help doctors guide older adults (65+) who have been on long-term opioid therapy toward safer pain management. The tool asks about a range of pain-related problems, not just opioid misuse, to encourage referrals to non-opioid treatmen…

This study tested a virtual reality (VR) program designed to help people in early recovery from opioid use disorder focus on their future and reduce drug use. 104 participants who had been abstinent for at least 14 days were split into a VR group and a control group. Researchers …

This study tested a computer-based decision support tool in primary care clinics. The tool was designed to help doctors and patients with chronic pain work together to choose treatment plans. The goal was to see if using this tool would lead to more shared decision-making and pot…

This pilot study tested whether getting young people actively involved in prevention programs can reduce substance misuse. Four community organizations in North Carolina took part; some used a youth engagement strategy while others did not. Researchers surveyed staff and youth to…

This study tested ways to prevent opioid misuse and addiction in teens and young adults (ages 16-30) who came to the emergency department. Participants received support starting in the ER and continuing through phone or video calls after they went home. The goal was to find the b…

This study tested a culturally tailored program called TACUNA plus a Wellness Circle to prevent opioid and other drug misuse among American Indian and Alaska Native young adults aged 18-25 in California. Participants were compared to those who received an opioid education worksho…

This study tested a program called Trust-based Relational Intervention (TBRI) to prevent opioid and other drug use in 250 teens aged 15-18 who were involved in the juvenile justice system. The program trained a trusted adult to support each teen as they transitioned back into the…

This study tested a mindfulness program for veterans with chronic pain and thoughts of suicide. 76 veterans took part to see if the program was acceptable and could help reduce pain, depression, and suicide risk. The goal was to gather information on whether this approach is wort…

This study tested whether giving a single dose of pregabalin (a nerve pain medication) about an hour before kidney stone surgery could reduce pain and the need for opioid painkillers afterward. 118 adults having ureteroscopy with a ureteral stent were randomly assigned to receive…

This study tested if an ultrasound-guided nerve block (Serratus Anterior Plane Block) helps patients with rib fractures feel less pain and breathe easier. 40 adults with rib fractures received either the nerve block or usual care. Researchers measured pain, breathing, and cough a…

This study tested a mobile app (STAMP+CBT) designed to help advanced cancer patients track their pain, mood, and opioid use while receiving personalized education and self-management tips. 52 patients with chronic cancer pain and an active opioid prescription used the app for 4 w…

This study tested a voluntary program to help 51 adults with chronic pain reduce their long-term opioid use. Participants worked with their doctor to slowly lower their dose over 4 months and received a self-help book. The main goal was to see if opioid doses could be safely redu…

This early-phase study looked at whether adding a drug called AUVELITY (a mix of dextromethorphan and bupropion) to standard treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone is safe and might help reduce cravings, withdrawal, and negative feelings in people with opioid use disorder. 18 adul…

This study tested whether using a combination of pain medicines (magnesium, ketamine, lidocaine, and dexmedetomidine) along with some opioids helps patients recover better after major surgery compared to using opioids alone. 240 adults having planned major surgery took part. The …

This study tested if helping lonely adults who take long-term opioids feel more connected could lower their risk of misusing opioids. Researchers provided psychological therapy and social support to 102 primary care patients. The goal was to see if these interventions could reduc…

This study looked at whether medical cannabis can help people with chronic pain reduce or stop taking opioid painkillers. 29 adults who were already on opioids and wanted to wean off them were given access to medical marijuana and followed for six months. Researchers tracked pain…

This study looked at two methods to control pain after major abdominal surgery: giving morphine through a spinal injection or using a newer nerve block technique. The goal was to see which approach reduces the need for additional pain medicine and causes fewer side effects. 56 ad…

This study looked at whether adding acupuncture to a standard recovery plan helps people who have hip replacement surgery use fewer opioids and feel less pain. About 484 adults took part. The acupuncture was done during surgery using tiny needles in the ear. The goal was to see i…

This study tested whether testosterone therapy could improve pain, physical function, and quality of life in 36 women aged 60 and older with chronic back pain, opioid use, and low testosterone. Participants received either testosterone or a placebo to compare effects on pain tole…

This small pilot study tested whether oral cannabinoids (medical cannabis) can help people with chronic pain. Researchers enrolled 51 adults and measured how easy it was to run the study, including recruitment and adherence. The goal was to gather data to design a larger, more de…

This study looked at 46 adults having spinal surgery to find out if giving a nerve block (ESP block) before or after surgery works better for pain control. Researchers measured how much opioid pain medicine patients needed and their pain scores. The goal is to improve comfort and…

This study tested whether adding a continuous infusion of ketamine to standard pain management could reduce opioid use and improve pain control after knee replacement surgery. 100 adult patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard care alone or standard care plus ke…

This study tested two methods to control pain after gallbladder removal surgery: a nerve block near the ribs versus numbing the surgical cuts. Sixty adults took part to see which approach reduced pain and the need for strong painkillers like morphine in the first 24 hours. The go…

This study tested whether a special nerve block (RIB block) could reduce pain and the need for strong painkillers after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, a common weight-loss surgery. Fifty-six adults with severe obesity were randomly assigned to receive either the nerve block plu…

This study tested whether dronabinol, a drug similar to cannabis, can help reduce the need for strong painkillers (opioids) after knee replacement surgery. 114 adults scheduled for knee replacement took either dronabinol or a placebo before and after surgery. Researchers measured…

This study looked at whether adding medical marijuana to a 24-week support program helps adults with long-term pain reduce their opioid painkiller dose and improve pain. 87 people on high-dose opioids took part. The goal was to see if marijuana could make it easier to lower opioi…

This study tested whether a nerve block in the cheek area can reduce pain and the need for strong painkillers in children after tonsil and adenoid removal. 114 children aged 6 months to 18 years took part. Researchers also added a drug called dexmedetomidine to see if it could ma…

This study tested whether giving lidocaine through a vein during liver surgery can reduce pain and the need for strong painkillers (opioids) afterward. 124 adults having minor liver surgery were randomly assigned to receive either lidocaine or a placebo (salt water) during the op…

This study looked at whether listening to music can help heart surgery patients need less strong pain medicine. 54 adults who had heart surgery through a chest incision took part. The goal was to see if music therapy could reduce the amount of opioid painkillers they used.

This study tested a one-day educational workshop for 26 adults with chronic non-cancer pain who were taking high doses of opioids. The workshop, led by a team of psychologists, pharmacists, and doctors, taught about opioid risks and a coping strategy called Acceptance and Commitm…

This study tested whether the medication acetazolamide can improve sleep-disordered breathing in 39 adults with chronic pain who use opioids. Participants took either acetazolamide or a placebo for one week to compare changes in sleep apnea severity. The goal is to find an altern…

This study looked at whether adding yoga can help people with chronic pain who are already on medication for opioid use. About 192 participants took part in yoga classes and were assigned different extra supports to see what helps them practice more. The goal was to find the best…

This study aimed to improve pain treatment after outpatient surgery while reducing the need for opioid painkillers and their side effects. Over 900 adults having same-day or short-stay surgery took part. Researchers tested different anesthesia approaches to see which best control…

This study tested whether adding specific nerve blocks (genicular and anterior femoral cutaneous) to standard pain management could reduce pain and the need for opioids after total knee replacement. 244 adults undergoing knee replacement were randomly assigned to receive the extr…

This study looked at whether people with chronic non-cancer pain who take opioids daily can slowly reduce their dose without worsening pain or quality of life. 140 participants were split into two groups: one started tapering right away, the other waited 4 months. Researchers tra…

This study looked at how opioids and sedatives affect the body when taken together. Eleven healthy adults who use these drugs non-medically took part. Researchers measured drug liking and other effects to understand the interaction between these substances.

This study looked at how three common opioids (morphine, oxycodone, and fentanyl) affect feelings like anxiety, relaxation, and pain right before surgery. It also tracked how much opioid pain medicine patients used after surgery and what factors predicted long-term use or persist…

This study tested a short video shown during a sexual assault medical exam, followed by text messages over the next month. The goal was to see if this approach could help prevent post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and opioid misuse. Fifty adult survivors took part. The study a…

This study tested a harm reduction education program designed specifically for Black adults who misuse opioids or stimulants. Researchers wanted to see if the program increased knowledge about overdoses and made people more confident and willing to use or teach life-saving techni…

This study looked at whether adding mindfulness training to physical therapy is a practical way to help people with long-term muscle and joint pain who also take opioids. Researchers trained physical therapists in mindfulness and then checked how well they could teach these skill…

This study looked at whether slowly reducing opioid medications affects pain, quality of life, and mood in people with chronic non-cancer pain. Researchers compared those who tapered off opioids with those who kept taking their usual dose. The goal was to see if gradual reduction…

This study looked at whether educating patients before shoulder replacement surgery about opioid painkillers, plus providing a safe way to dispose of unused pills, could cut down on leftover medication. About 140 adults having shoulder replacement took part. The goal was to see i…

This study tested two ways to get people who use opioids to take a COVID-19 test: having friends refer them, or having trained community members reach out directly. About 500 adults who had used opioids in the past 6 months took part. The goal was to see which method worked bette…

This study tested a one-time, computer-based feedback program for adults with chronic pain who drink heavily and take prescription opioids. The goal was to see if the program could increase knowledge about the risks of mixing alcohol and opioids, and motivate people to drink less…

This study looked at how marijuana and the opioid oxycodone influence each other when people choose to use them. Eight healthy adults who had experience with both drugs lived in a research unit for about 6.5 weeks. They could earn doses of each drug, and researchers measured how …

This study looked at how alcohol and opioids affect people when taken together. Eleven healthy adults who use both substances but are not dependent on them took part. Researchers measured how much participants liked the drug combination and how drunk they felt, aiming to understa…

This study looked at how women who inject drugs feel about a long-acting injectable HIV prevention medication called CAB-LA. Researchers wanted to understand what helps or hinders their decision to use it, and how it compares to daily pills. The goal is to design better programs …