Tapping away cravings: EFT tested on Hard-to-Quit smokers
NCT ID NCT00981396
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), a stress-reduction method that involves tapping on specific body points, in smokers who have failed standard quit programs. Researchers want to see if EFT can improve quit rates by reducing anxiety and cravings. The trial enrolls 40 participants and compares EFT to cognitive behavioral therapy.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a new tool to help smokers who have trouble quitting due to anxiety or cravings.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very early, small trial with only 40 people. The results may not apply to all smokers, and EFT is not a proven treatment for smoking cessation.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Early phase 1
The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.
- Participants
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About 40 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Sep 2009
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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12 to 99 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * High anxiety related to the quit attempt * Cravings which sabotage the quit attempt * Low confidence at their ability to quit and remain quit Exclusion Criteria: * None, all NHS clients are eligible
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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NHS Central Lancashire Primary Care Trust
RECRUITINGOrmskirk, Lancashire, L39 2JW, United Kingdom
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