OPIOID USE

This study aims to make opioid use disorder treatment more available in rural Georgia by connecting emergency room patients with medical toxicologists at the Georgia Poison Center through video calls. About 480 adults who come to the ER with opioid withdrawal, overdose, or seekin…

This study tests two counseling approaches—Motivational Interviewing and Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement—to help people on methadone treatment reduce tobacco smoking and other drug use. Researchers will enroll 420 adults who are on methadone and smoke cigarettes. The go…

This study tests a community program called Young HEROES that helps young people with opioid use disorder. The program combines medication, counseling, and peer support to keep them in treatment and reduce opioid use. Researchers will track how many youth stay in treatment and st…

This study tests whether special alerts in electronic health records can help doctors prescribe opioids more safely for patients at high risk of overdose. About 1,350 adults who have taken opioids in the past year will take part. Doctors will see a flag or a best-practice alert n…

This study looks at whether a short-term stabilization center (SASC) can help people who have had an opioid overdose. Participants are adults in Seattle who are stable enough to be transferred to the center for less than 24 hours, where they receive monitoring, medication for opi…

This study tests a new way to prevent HIV among people who inject drugs and their friends. Researchers will train some participants to become peer educators, teaching their social network about HIV testing, PrEP (a daily pill that prevents HIV), and treatment for opioid use. The …

This study tests two behavioral treatments for chronic insomnia in 165 adults who have both chronic pain and take prescribed opioids. The goal is to see if improving sleep can also help reduce or stop opioid use. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the treatments and…

This study tests a non-invasive device placed on the ear that gently stimulates nerves to help manage pain after lumbar spine surgery. The goal is to see if it can lower pain scores and reduce the need for opioid painkillers. About 20 adults having back surgery will participate, …

This study tests whether giving a single dose of ketamine during surgery can reduce pain, lower the need for opioids, and improve depression and PTSD symptoms in adults with serious orthopedic injuries. About 90 participants will be randomly assigned to receive either ketamine or…

This study tests a new device that only gives out opioid pain pills at set times after spine surgery. Half of the 30 participants will use the device, while the other half use a standard pill bottle. The goal is to see if the device helps people take fewer pills and feel safer, w…

This study tests whether a numbing injection around the cervix during vaginal hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse can lower pain and reduce the need for opioid painkillers after surgery. About 56 adults having this surgery will be randomly assigned to receive either the numbin…

This study compares a nonopioid pain control regimen to standard opioid painkillers in 75 adults after clavicle fracture surgery. The goal is to see if the nonopioid approach controls pain just as well while reducing opioid risks. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two …

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 undergoing laparotomy will be enrolled. The goal is to see whic…

This study tests if a continuous nerve catheter placed in the thigh provides better pain relief and reduces opioid use compared to a single nerve block after total knee replacement. About 64 adults will be randomly assigned to receive either the catheter or a sham catheter plus a…

This study looks at whether non-narcotic pain medications work as well as opioids for pain after knee arthroscopy. About 148 adults having knee surgery will receive either opioids or non-opioids and report their pain levels and medication use. The goal is to find effective pain r…

This study tests a device called VibraCool that uses cooling and vibration to reduce pain after ACL reconstruction. Researchers want to see if it helps people use fewer opioid painkillers. About 130 adults who had ACL surgery will use the device and report their pain levels and o…

This study tests whether delivering lidocaine (with or without steroids) directly into an artery in the brain can relieve the severe headaches that often follow a type of stroke called subarachnoid hemorrhage. The goal is to reduce pain and the need for strong opioid drugs. About…

This study tests whether combining virtual reality (VR) with pleasant scents can help reduce pain and anxiety in people recovering from major heart or lung surgery. About 80 adults scheduled for cardiothoracic surgery will either receive the VR and scent therapy or standard care.…

This study compares two types of nerve blocks (paravertebral block and erector spinae plane block) in 60 adults undergoing lung surgery. The goal is to see which block better reduces the need for strong pain medicines during and after surgery, using a special monitor to guide dos…

This study tests whether a targeted numbing injection (erector spinae plane block) reduces pain and opioid use after lumbar spinal fusion better than standard numbing under the skin. About 66 adults having one- or two-level lumbar fusion will be randomly assigned to one of the tw…

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

This study tests whether a special brain-wave 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 anesthesia. The goal is to s…

This study tests whether adding pregabalin to lofexidine helps reduce withdrawal symptoms in people with opioid use disorder who want to start naltrexone treatment. About 150 adults will receive either the drug combo or a placebo for 8 days. The goal is to see if the combination …

This study tests a small, disposable device placed on the ear that stimulates nerves to help manage pain. The goal is to see if it can lower the amount of opioids (strong painkillers) needed after open abdominal or pelvic surgery. About 286 adults having certain cancer or liver t…

This study tests a program for adults who take opioids for chronic pain before surgery. The program includes pain education, therapy, and a mobile app to help patients reduce opioid use and manage pain better after surgery. Researchers will compare how many patients successfully …

This study tests whether a non-invasive device that stimulates the vagus nerve can reduce withdrawal symptoms in people with opioid use disorder. About 100 participants will stay in a hospital for one week, receive either real or sham stimulation, and complete surveys and brain s…

This study tests whether a pain management plan without opioids works just as well as one with opioids after a tubal sterilization procedure. About 120 women having minimally invasive surgery will be randomly assigned to one of two pain control approaches. The goal is to see if w…

This study tests whether giving a standard, evidence-based opioid prescription after hand or forearm surgery leads to fewer unused pills while still controlling pain well. About 292 adults having day surgery at Toronto Western Hospital will take part. The goal is to find a balanc…

This study tests if placing a steroid directly on the spine during back surgery helps reduce pain and the need for opioid painkillers afterward. About 150 adults having a 1-2 level lumbar laminectomy will be randomly assigned to receive the steroid or not. Researchers will track …

This study tests whether adding a non-opioid painkiller (ketorolac) to standard opioid pain medicine can reduce the amount of opioids needed after preventive thigh bone surgery. The surgery is for patients with cancer that has spread to the thigh bone but who do not have a broken…

This study tests whether giving a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen (Maxigesic) before surgery can lower the amount of strong opioid painkiller (remifentanil) needed during the operation. About 96 adults aged 19-60 having general anesthesia will take part. The goal is to…

This study is testing whether testosterone replacement therapy can improve pain, energy, sexual function, and overall quality of life in men. It focuses on men with chronic back pain who have been taking opioid painkillers for at least six months and have developed low testostero…

This study looks at how different types of anesthesia affect stress during weight-loss surgery. About 70 people having sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass will get opioid-free anesthesia, some with a gas called desflurane and some without. Researchers will measure stress hormone…

This study tests two types of reward programs to help people with opioid, cocaine, or methamphetamine use disorders stay abstinent. Participants use a smartphone app that tracks drug tests and offers incentives that either increase or decrease over time. The goal is to find the b…

This study looks at how mindfulness meditation affects pain in people with chronic low back pain who take opioids. Researchers will use brain scans to see changes in pain-related brain activity. The goal is to understand the brain mechanisms behind meditation-based pain relief, n…

This study is for people who take buprenorphine for opioid use and also drink alcohol. Researchers want to see if a short, tailored counseling session is acceptable and practical. About 60 adults will try the program for four weeks. The goal is to gather information to plan a lar…

This study watches 1,000 adults having surgery to see if things like worry about pain, sleep trouble, and anxiety change how well numbing medicine works. Researchers also track how much opioid painkiller people need and if long-term pain develops. No new treatment is tested—the g…

This study aims to create a personalized pain relief plan for women having a C-section. Researchers will look at genetic differences to predict which patients might have bad reactions to opioids, like breathing problems or nausea. The goal is to improve pain control while reducin…

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 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, those with opioid use, and healthy women. The goal is to find new ways to treat chronic pain withou…