Could a monthly pill replace painful penicillin shots for rheumatic heart disease?
NCT ID NCT07625228
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study will test if taking oral azithromycin pills for three days each month works as well as getting a monthly penicillin shot to prevent rheumatic heart disease from getting worse. The trial plans to enroll 474 Nigerian secondary school students aged 10-18 with mild or moderate rheumatic heart disease. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the pill or the shot group and followed for two years to compare disease progression and side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Azithromycin (oral) and Benzathine Penicillin G (injection)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a more acceptable, needle-free alternative to monthly penicillin shots for preventing rheumatic heart disease in resource-limited settings.
- What could go wrong
- This is a non-inferiority trial, meaning it aims to show azithromycin is not worse than penicillin, not necessarily better. The study hasn't started yet, and adherence to oral medication may still be a challenge.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
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