Smartphone app and digital pill aim to boost HIV prevention in substance users
NCT ID NCT03512418
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study tested a digital pill and smartphone app to help people with substance use disorders take their HIV prevention medication (PrEP) consistently. Thirty HIV-negative men who have sex with men and have moderate to severe substance use disorder participated. They used a digital pill that sends a signal when swallowed, and some also received a smartphone-based intervention to encourage adherence. The goal was to see if this approach is feasible and acceptable.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Truvada (emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) overencapsulated in a digital pill
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could help people with substance use disorders take their HIV prevention medication more consistently, reducing HIV infections.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early feasibility study with only 30 participants, so results may not apply to larger populations. The digital pill system may be inconvenient or not acceptable to all users.
Disclaimer
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This is a summary of
the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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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
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Locations
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Fenway Health
Boylston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States