Opioid abuse

This phase 2 trial tests whether semaglutide, a GLP-1 drug used for diabetes and weight loss, can help adults with opioid use disorder avoid using illicit opioids. Participants already receiving buprenorphine or methadone treatment will take weekly semaglutide or a placebo for 12…

This study tests whether an 8-week culturally responsive harm reduction program helps Black and Latinx people who use drugs engage more with services and reduce opioid or stimulant use. Researchers will compare the program to standard harm reduction services in 200 participants. …

This trial tests whether giving far fewer opioid pills after hip arthroscopy, combined with gabapentin and extra-strength Tylenol, can control pain as well as the standard 30-pill opioid prescription. About 170 adults undergoing their first hip arthroscopy will be randomly assign…

This study is testing two counseling approaches—Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE)—to help people on methadone treatment reduce their use of tobacco, opioids, and other drugs. Researchers will enroll 420 adults who are currently on…

This study tests whether patient navigation—a series of coaching sessions—helps pregnant women with opioid use disorder stay in treatment and reduce drug use. About 429 pregnant women will be randomly assigned to either usual care or patient navigation, which includes up to 14 se…

This study tests a device called Addinex that stores opioid pills and releases them only with a unique passcode. Adults having cancer-related surgery who expect to need opioids for pain will use the device instead of a standard pill bottle. Researchers will measure how many unuse…

This study investigates whether oxygen and the drug acetazolamide can help stabilize breathing during sleep in people who take prescription opioids and have sleep apnea. Researchers will measure breathing patterns and sleep quality in 150 veterans. The goal is to find new ways to…

This study tests a mobile health app called uMAT-R, designed to help Black adults recover from opioid or stimulant use and manage depression or anxiety. Participants are recruited from community treatment centers and use the app to track substance use and mental health symptoms. …

This study tests a smartphone app designed to help young adults aged 18 to 25 who want to reduce their combined use of alcohol and opioids. The app sends timely tips based on users' daily reports. The goal is to see if the app is usable, satisfying, and worth testing in larger st…

This study tests whether showing doctors a warning flag in electronic health records for patients at high risk of opioid overdose can lead to safer prescribing. About 1,350 adults who recently received an opioid prescription will be included. Doctors in some clinics will see a si…

This study tests whether counseling plus a muscle relaxant (tizanidine) can help adults who have used opioids for a long time reduce their pain medication after elective surgery. About 375 participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: the combo treatment, counsel…

This early-stage study tests the safety of nalmefene implants in 24 healthy adults. Participants receive one or two implants that stay in place for 4 or 12 weeks. Researchers monitor side effects and how the drug moves through the body to plan future studies in people with opioid…

This study tests whether giving financial incentives for negative drug tests can help people with opioid, cocaine, or methamphetamine use disorder stay abstinent. Six hundred participants use a smartphone app to submit saliva tests. Some receive escalating or de-escalating reward…

This study tests a new way to help people with opioid use disorder in rural Georgia. Emergency rooms will use video calls to connect patients with poison center doctors who can start medication (buprenorphine) and link them to peer recovery coaches. The goal is to see if this app…

This study tests a community program called Young HEROES for youth aged 12-17 with opioid use disorder. It combines medication, counseling, and peer support to help them stay in treatment and stop using opioids. The goal is to see if this approach works better than usual care in …

Researchers at Yale University are studying how to expand opioid agonist therapy (OAT) in prisons and probation systems in Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Georgia. OAT uses medicines like methadone or buprenorphine to treat opioid dependence and can lower HIV transmission am…

This study aims to see if training people who inject drugs to become peer educators can help their friends get tested for HIV and use prevention tools like PrEP and treatment for opioid use. About 360 participants from syringe service programs in Maryland will be recruited, along…

This trial compares two types of nerve blocks given before breast surgery to see which better prevents chronic pain that can last for months. Women aged 18-65 scheduled for mastectomy will receive either a serratus posterior superior intercostal plane block or an erector spinae p…

This study compares two types of nerve blocks—SPSIPB and ESPB—for pain relief after breast surgery. 54 women will be randomly assigned to receive one block before anesthesia. Researchers will measure pain scores and opioid use in the first 24 hours to see which block works better…

This study tests whether an extra nerve block given during weight-loss surgery can lower pain, nausea, and the need for painkillers in the first three days after surgery. About 200 adults having gastric bypass or sleeve gastrectomy will be randomly assigned to get either standard…

This study tests whether giving testosterone to men with chronic back pain who take opioids can improve their pain, sexual function, fatigue, and quality of life. The men have low testosterone caused by opioids. Half will get testosterone injections and half a placebo. The trial …

This study tests whether mindfulness meditation can change how the brain processes pain in people with chronic low back pain who use opioids. Researchers will measure brain activity and pain ratings in 150 adults after 8 meditation sessions. The goal is to understand the brain me…

This study tests whether a quadratus lumborum block—a type of nerve block—can better control pain and reduce opioid use in children aged 6 to 18 who are having palate repair surgery with bone taken from the hip. Half of the participants receive the nerve block, while the other ha…

This study tests whether the insomnia medication lemborexant can improve sleep, mood, and impulse control in men and women with opioid use disorder who are already taking buprenorphine. Participants take either lemborexant or a placebo nightly for 8 weeks and complete surveys, co…

This study compares opioid-free anesthesia to standard opioid-based anesthesia in 40 adults undergoing open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. The goal is to see if avoiding opioids reduces the body's stress response and inflammation during and after surgery. Researchers will meas…

This study compares two pain management plans after laparoscopic tubal sterilization: one with opioids and one without. About 38 women will report their pain levels and satisfaction. The goal is to see if non-opioid drugs like Tylenol and ibuprofen work just as well.

This study looks at two types of nerve blocks given before mastectomy to see which one better prevents chronic pain. About 132 adults having a mastectomy will be randomly assigned to receive either an erector spinae block or a paravertebral block. Researchers will track pain, opi…

This study tests whether adding either dexamethasone or dexmedetomidine to a standard numbing medicine (bupivacaine) in a nerve block can provide longer pain relief after abdominal surgery. About 96 adults aged 25-65 will be enrolled. The goal is to reduce pain and the need for s…

This study tests a program called the Transitional Pain Service Program for adults who have chronic pain and take opioids before surgery. The program includes pain education, therapy, and a mobile app to help patients manage pain and safely reduce opioid use. Researchers will com…

This study tests whether placing a steroid (Depo-Medrol) directly on the spine during back surgery can lower pain and the need for opioid painkillers afterward. About 150 adults having one- or two-level lumbar decompression will be randomly assigned to get the steroid or a placeb…

This study tests whether adding a non-opioid painkiller (ketorolac) to standard opioid pain medication can reduce the amount of opioids needed after preventive femur surgery. The study includes 60 adults with bone lesions from cancer who are getting a metal rod placed in the thig…

This study compares two behavioral programs for people with chronic pain, chronic insomnia, and long-term opioid use. One program uses cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), the other is standard treatment. The goal is to see if improving sleep can also reduce opioid …

This study compares a nonopioid pain control plan to standard opioid pain medicine in 75 adults after surgery for a broken collarbone. The goal is to see if the nonopioid plan can control pain just as well while reducing opioid side effects and addiction risk. Participants are ra…

This study tests whether a non-invasive device that stimulates the vagus nerve in the neck can reduce withdrawal symptoms in people with opioid use disorder. About 103 participants will stay in the hospital for a week, receive either active or sham stimulation, and have brain sca…

This study tests whether a single dose of ketamine given during surgery can help adults with serious orthopedic trauma recover better. Researchers want to see if it reduces pain, lowers the need for opioids, and improves symptoms of depression and PTSD. Ninety participants will b…

This study tests whether a specific injection technique called erector spinae plane block (ESPB) reduces pain and opioid use after lumbar spinal fusion better than standard subcutaneous anesthesia. Researchers will enroll 66 adults scheduled for one- or two-level lumbar fusion. P…

This study tests whether combining virtual reality with pleasant smells can lower pain and anxiety in people recovering from heart or lung surgery. About 80 adults scheduled for cardiothoracic surgery will either receive the VR-and-scent therapy or standard care. The goal is to s…

This study tests whether adding pregabalin to the standard withdrawal drug lofexidine helps people with opioid use disorder feel less sick while quitting. About 150 adults who want to start long-acting naltrexone will take either the combination or a placebo for 8 days. The goal …

This study compares opioid (Norco) and non-opioid (ibuprofen and acetaminophen) pain medications in 148 adults undergoing knee arthroscopy. Participants take one tablet up to four times daily for seven days after surgery. The goal is to see if non-opioids provide similar pain rel…

This study tests two approaches—mindfulness training and patient-centered pain management visits—to help adults with chronic pain who take long-term opioids. The goal is to reduce pain, improve quality of life, and lower the risk of opioid misuse. About 300 participants will be f…

This study tests whether giving patients a fixed, evidence-based number of opioid pills after hand or forearm surgery leads to fewer unused pills while still controlling pain. About 292 adults having elective outpatient hand surgery at Toronto Western Hospital will be randomly as…

This study tests if delivering lidocaine (a numbing medicine) and steroids directly into an artery in the scalp can safely relieve the intense headaches that follow a type of brain bleed called subarachnoid hemorrhage. The goal is to reduce pain and the need for strong opioid pai…

This study tests a device called VibraCool that uses cooling and vibration to reduce pain after ACL knee surgery. The goal is to see if it can lower pain scores and help people stop taking opioid pain pills sooner. About 130 adults who had ACL reconstruction will use the device a…

This study tests whether a special brain monitor (MGRNOX) can help doctors give less opioid pain medicine during gallbladder surgery. About 112 adults having laparoscopic cholecystectomy will be randomly assigned to standard care or MGRNOX-guided care. The goal is to see if the m…

This study tests whether a gentle, non-invasive device placed on the ear can help reduce pain after lumbar (lower back) surgery. The device stimulates nerves in the ear to change how the brain processes pain. Researchers will enroll 20 adults having back surgery to see if this ap…

This pilot study tests a new device that only releases opioid pills at set times after spine surgery, aiming to reduce misuse and side effects. Half of the 30 participants will use the device and an app, while the other half get a standard pill bottle and app. Researchers will tr…

This study tests whether extra support for case managers helps veterans leaving the military better manage pain and reduce risky substance use. About 1800 veterans will take part. The program focuses on non-drug pain treatments and counseling.

This study is testing whether giving patients a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen (called Maxigesic) before surgery can reduce the amount of remifentanil, a strong opioid, needed during the operation. The trial will include 96 adults aged 19-60 who are scheduled for surg…

This study looks at whether using the Headspace mindfulness app before surgery or chemoradiation can help people with endometrial or cervical cancer use fewer opioid painkillers. About 120 participants will be randomly assigned to use the app or not. The goal is to see if mindful…

This study compares two types of nerve blocks—paravertebral block and erector spinae plane block—to see which controls pain better during and after thoracotomy (lung surgery). The goal is to reduce the amount of opioids needed during surgery and improve recovery. Sixty adults sch…

This study is testing how well a culturally adapted screening and brief counseling program works for American Indian and Alaska Native adults who have chronic pain or misuse opioids. Researchers will work with three clinics to see if the program is easy to use and helpful. The go…

This study aims to improve pain relief after cesarean sections by looking at how a mother's genes affect her response to opioids. Researchers will enroll 700 women and track genetic markers linked to side effects like breathing problems and nausea. The goal is to create a persona…

This study uses brain scans to understand why some people relapse to opioid use during treatment. Researchers at Yale will follow 240 adults recently started on methadone or buprenorphine, tracking their brain connectivity and drug use for six months. The goal is to identify patt…

This pilot study tests whether a specially designed family therapy program is practical and well-liked by women who have opioid use disorder and are involved in the justice system. About 120 women and a family member will take part, with some receiving the therapy plus usual care…

This study looks at how sex hormones like testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone relate to pain levels and opioid use after surgery in girls aged 11 to 16. Researchers will also examine whether immune factors help explain these effects. The goal is to better understand why pain…

This study is testing whether a short, tailored alcohol intervention is practical and well-liked by people who are taking buprenorphine for opioid use and also drink alcohol. About 60 adults will take part. The goal is to see if this approach could work in a larger future study.

This study looks at how long-term opioid therapy changes brain and spinal cord activity in women with chronic pain. Researchers will compare brain scans of women with chronic pain and/or opioid use to healthy women. The goal is to find new ways to treat chronic pain without relyi…

This study looks at how a person's mental state—like anxiety, sleep problems, and fear of pain—affects how well numbing medication works during surgery. Researchers will follow 1,000 adults to see if these factors change pain levels, opioid use, and the chance of long-term pain. …

This trial tests two types of opioid-free anesthesia in 70 people having weight-loss surgery. One method uses a gas called desflurane, the other uses intravenous drugs. Researchers will measure stress hormones in the blood to see which approach causes less stress on the body. The…

This study is testing a new center in Seattle where people who have had an opioid overdose can stay for up to 24 hours. The center offers monitoring, medication for opioid use disorder, and connections to ongoing care. Researchers will compare outcomes like repeat overdoses and t…

This study tests whether low-dose buccal buprenorphine (a film placed in the cheek) can provide pain relief similar to a standard dose of oxycodone but with less potential for abuse. 120 healthy adults will receive different doses of buprenorphine, oxycodone, or placebo in separa…

This study is testing how opioids (morphine) and benzodiazepines (alprazolam) affect mood, anxiety, and thinking when taken alone or together. Researchers will give 24 people with a history of using these drugs single doses in a lab and measure their responses. The goal is to und…