Cash for clean breath: can remote monitoring help beat alcohol addiction?

NCT ID NCT03883126

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Mikhail N Koffarnus Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether giving people with alcohol use disorder monetary rewards for submitting breathalyzer tests that show no alcohol can help them stay abstinent. Participants use a smartphone app and a breathalyzer at home. The goal is to see if this remote approach works as well as in-person programs, especially for underserved communities.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: monetary incentives
What this could lead to: If it works, this could provide a practical, scalable way to help people with alcohol use disorder reduce or stop drinking using remote monitoring and rewards.
What could go wrong: This is a behavioral intervention, not a medication or cure. Success depends on participants' motivation and the incentive structure, and results may not apply to everyone with alcohol use disorder.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

alcohol abuse

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ALCOHOL USE DISORDER

Contacts and locations

Locations

Carilion Clinic: In person-enrollment

Roanoke, Virginia, 24014, United States
Nationwide Online Enrollment from the Unversity of Kentucky

Lexington, Kentucky, 40504, United States
University of Kentucky Turfland: In-person enrollment

Lexington, Kentucky, 40504, United States

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