Shingles breakthrough? calcitonin shots aim to stop chronic pain before it starts
NCT ID NCT07655804
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jul 07, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This phase 3 trial tests whether adding daily calcitonin injections to standard shingles treatment can prevent postherpetic neuralgia, a painful nerve condition that can last for months or years. Researchers will enroll 168 adults aged 50 and older who have had a shingles rash for less than a week and are experiencing moderate to severe pain. Participants will receive either calcitonin or a placebo (saline) injection for three weeks, and their pain levels will be checked three months later.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- calcitonin (salmon calcitonin injection)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new way to prevent the chronic nerve pain that often follows shingles.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single-center trial with 168 participants, so results may not apply broadly. Calcitonin can cause allergic reactions, and the benefit over standard care is unproven.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Tanta University Hospitals
RECRUITINGTanta, Gharbia Governorate, 31527, Egypt
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