Can a 4-Week virtual program help people stop drinking? new study tests remote breathalyzer monitoring
NCT ID NCT05722483
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tested a 4-week virtual intensive outpatient program for 63 people with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder. The program included group therapy, individual therapy, medication management, and multiple daily breathalyzer checks using facial recognition. The goal was to see if people would stay in the program and find it satisfactory, with a target retention rate of at least 50%.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Virtual intensive outpatient program (cognitive behavioral therapy, DBT skills, health and wellness groups, individual therapy, medication management, and remote breathalyzer monitoring)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that a fully virtual program can help people with alcohol use disorder stay abstinent and engaged in treatment, offering a more accessible option than residential care.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, single-arm pilot study with no comparison group, so results may not prove effectiveness. The program is intensive and may not suit everyone, and long-term outcomes beyond the 4-week period are not measured.
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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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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63 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2023
- Finished
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Jul 2025
- 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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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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: 1. ≥ 18 years of age 2. Able to communicate and provide informed consent in English 3. Diagnosis of moderate to severe AUD, based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5, Research Version (SCID-5-RV) 4. Risky alcohol consumption, defined as \> 10 drinks per week for females and \> 15 drinks for males on average during the 60 days prior to the eligibility assessment. 5. Motivated to abstain from alcohol for the month-long treatment period (longer-term harm reduction goals are permitted) 6. Access to a private location from which to participate in the program for the duration of the study. 7. Able and motivated to complete all aspects of the program, including attending all virtual intensive outpatient program sessions (this includes being available for group and individual sessions throughout the day on weekdays) and completing multiple daily breathalyzer readings throughout the entire program. Individuals planning to be out of the province during the virtual intensive outpatient program will not be permitted to enroll. 8. Enrolled in the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Severe medical or psychiatric comorbidity that would prevent safe participation in the study 2. Active and severe suicidal ideation at time of eligibility assessment or suicide attempt within the past month. 3. Diagnosis of opioid use disorder or sedative use disorder within the past year based on the SCID-5 (other concurrent substance use disorders such as cannabis use disorder will not be exclusionary) 4. History of alcohol withdrawal delirium 5. Currently pregnant, breastfeeding, or intending to become pregnant or breastfeed during the study. 6. Enrollment in another study that conflicts with the procedures or scientific integrity of this study 7. Individuals planning to be out of the province during the virtual intensive outpatient program will not be permitted to enroll.
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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
Locations
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Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
Toronto, Ontario, M6J 1H4, Canada
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