Could a $0.50 heartburn pill ease sickle cell pain?
NCT ID NCT05084521
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This small pilot study tested whether famotidine, a widely used heartburn drug, can reduce a blood marker linked to painful crises in children with sickle cell disease. Thirty children took the medicine for 29 days. The goal was to see if the drug lowers P-selectin levels, which might lead to fewer pain episodes. Results are not yet available.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- famotidine
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, safe treatment to reduce painful crises in children with sickle cell disease.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small pilot study with only 30 children and no placebo group, so results may not be definitive. It only measures a blood marker, not actual crisis reduction.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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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
-
Necker - Enfants malades Hospital; Department of Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases
Paris, 75015, France
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