Registered studies, protocols and reported results
Studies
Clinical study protocols and source-reported registry results, preserved locally.
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Registered studies, protocols and reported results
Clinical study protocols and source-reported registry results, preserved locally.
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Registered studies, protocols and reported results
Study registrations describe protocols. Results are shown only when the registry supplied a Results section; local links are not efficacy claims.
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Snapshot 14/09/2026Treatment of opioid dependence
Open study recordHomelessness severely affects health and well-being and is particularly negative for youth. Between 70-95% of youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) report problem substance use and 66-89% have a mental health disorder. Youth appear to be at greater risk for living on the streets or being homeless than adults and are more vulnerable to long term consequences of homelessness. Multiple social determinants of health (SDOH) are uniquely associated with homelessness, driving substance use and adverse mental health consequences. However, limited research has identified pragmatic interventions that have a long-term ameliorating impact on the complex, multi-symptomatic issues among these youth. This study overcomes prior gaps in research through testing a multi-component comprehensive prevention intervention targeting SDOH that may affect biopsychosocial health indicators and longer-term health outcomes. In partnership with a drop-in center for YEH, youth between the ages of 14 to 24 years, will be engaged and randomly assigned to conditions using a dismantling design so that essential intervention components can be efficiently identified. In particular, youth (N = 300) will be randomly assigned to a) Motivational Interviewing/Community Reinforcement Approach + Services as Usual (MI/CRA + SAU, n = 80), b) Strengths-Based Outreach and Advocacy + Services As Usual (SBOA + SAU, n = 80), c) MI/CRA + SBOA + SAU (n = 80) or d) SAU (n=60) through the drop-in center. In order to assess the longer-term prevention effects on substance use, mental health and other outcomes, all youth will be assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24-months post-baseline. The primary goal of this study is to establish the impact of a comprehensive intervention embedded within a system that serves YEH, a community drop-in center, on youth's opioid misuse and disorder, other substance misuse and disorders, mental health diagnoses, and other targeted outcomes. This study will offer unique information on the physiological and psychological stress pathways underlying change for specific subgroups of youth along with cost estimates to inform future implementation efforts in drop-in centers around the country. Specific Aim 1. Using a dismantling randomized design, compare intervention conditions to determine those components essential for optimizing substance use and mental health: a) Strengths-Based Outreach and Advocacy (SBOA), b) Motivational Interviewing (MI)/Community Reinforcement Approach (CRA), c) SBOA+MI/CRA, and d) Services As Usual (SAU). Hypothesis. Youth assigned to SBOA+MI/CRA will show better short and long-term outcomes on Opioid Use Disorder prevention and on other substance use and mental health outcomes than youth assigned to either intervention alone or Services As Usual. Specific Aim 2. Test whether intended change processes (social stability, psychosocial resources, stress) produce the desired change on substance use and mental health. Hypothesis. Inasmuch as the interventions trigger successful increases in social stability and psychosocial resources and reductions in stress, targeted outcomes will improve. Specific Aim 3. Explore how the moderators of age, sex, race/ethnicity, sexual/gender minority status, and experience of childhood abuse and neglect influence intervention response. Specific Aim 4. Determine cost effectiveness of the intervention approaches.
The goal of this research study is to examine the endocannabinoid (eCB) function in vivo in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) by measuring cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) availability. The investigators will image brain cannabinoid receptors using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging and the radioligand \[11C\] OMAR, in healthy individuals and individuals diagnosed with opioid use disorder. Research participants may complete screening, MRI, PET scan and follow up visits.
Open study recordSubstance use, including the use of opioids, cannabis, and other drugs, is common among adolescents and young adults, and overdose has become a leading cause of death among youth in Canada and the United States. Many young people who use substances also experience co-occurring mental health concerns. Evidence-based approaches to youth substance use care exist, including harm reduction, overdose prevention (such as naloxone and take-home drug testing strips), and medications for addiction treatment. These approaches remain adult-oriented, however, unevenly implemented in youth-serving settings, and insufficiently centered on the needs and goals of youth and their families. This study develops and pilot tests a written "practice companion" that helps clinicians and other trusted adults provide developmentally appropriate substance use care to youth ages 14 to 24 in hospital and community settings. The practice companion offers practical, easy-to-use guidance organized by substance and by pattern of use. It addresses cannabis and other substances that youth commonly use and that clinicians frequently seek support with, alongside a strong focus on overdose prevention through its core elements: naloxone, take-home drug testing strips, harm reduction education, and medications for opioid use disorder. It also attends to co-occurring mental health needs and to how gender, sexuality, housing instability, and other social and structural contexts shape substance use and care. The research team will first interview youth who use substances, their families and caregivers, and clinicians to learn how each element of care should be adapted for young people. The team will then produce the practice companion and pilot test it with 60 youth across three sites, in British Columbia, Québec, and Massachusetts. After receiving care guided by the practice companion, youth will complete an interview about whether the care was relevant, useful, appropriate, and acceptable. Families and clinicians will also be interviewed to assess how feasible, sustainable, and faithful to its design the practice companion is in practice. Throughout the study, the team will work closely with youth and families who have lived experience through a community-based participatory research approach that includes Community Advisory Boards. The work centers equity for Black, Indigenous, and other racialized youth, Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ youth, and youth experiencing housing instability. Findings will guide a larger future study of the practice companion's effectiveness. Background and rationale. Substance use, including the use of opioids, cannabis, and other drugs, is common among youth, and overdose has become a leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults in Canada and the United States. Most youth overdose deaths involve illicitly manufactured fentanyl, and the illicit drug supply is increasingly contaminated with benzodiazepines, xylazine, and other novel substances. Approximately two-thirds of youth with a substance use disorder also experience co-occurring mental health concerns. Evidence-based approaches to youth substance use care, including harm reduction, overdose prevention interventions (naloxone, take-home drug testing strips, and behavioral strategies), and medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), remain adult-oriented, unevenly implemented in pediatric and youth-serving settings, and insufficiently centered on the needs and goals of youth and their families. Black, Indigenous, and other racialized youth, Two-Spirit and LGBTQ+ youth, and youth experiencing housing instability face additional barriers to care. Objective. This three-year, community-engaged project adapts evidence-based substance use care and overdose prevention approaches to the developmental needs of youth and combines them into a single, practical, multi-strategy practice companion for clinicians and other trusted adults working in acute (e.g., hospital) and community (e.g., drop-in clinic) settings. Practice companion content is organized by substance and by pattern of use and addresses cannabis and other substances that youth commonly use, in addition to opioids; overdose prevention remains a core component. The practice companion also attends to co-occurring mental health needs and to how gender, sexuality, poverty, and housing instability intersect with substance use and care. The work lays the groundwork for a larger hybrid effectiveness-implementation study of the practice companion. Conceptual framework. The project follows the ADAPT-ITT implementation science framework, focusing on the Adaptation, Production, and Testing phases, and uses a community-based participatory research approach that centers equity-owed youth and families (biological, adoptive, and chosen) at every stage. Youth and caregivers with lived experience contribute throughout via six Community Advisory Boards (one youth and one caregiver board at each of the three sites). Objective. Trained clinicians and other providers deliver care via the practice companion to 60 youth (20 per site). After receiving care, youth complete a qualitative exit interview and a brief quantitative survey assessing acceptability. Interviews with 30 caregivers (10 per site) and the 12 practice companion-delivering providers further assess feasibility, sustainability, and fidelity. Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles guide continuous optimization, producing final site-specific versions of the practice companion for a future, larger study. Sites and settings. British Columbia: BC Children's Hospital and Foundry (a provincial network of integrated youth services centres). Québec: CHU Sainte-Justine (Substance Use and Addiction Program and Gender Diversity Clinic) and the CRCHUM. Massachusetts: the Adolescent and Young Adult Clinic at Mass General Brigham for Children.
Open study recordThe purpose of this study is to see how stress influences the effects of opioid pain medications often used to help relieve back pain. The study will help to learn more about how high stress levels could increase risk for pain medication misuse. The purpose of this project is to advance mechanistic knowledge of how stress impacts differential opioid analgesic responses that enhance risk for opioid use disorder (OUD), potentially informing development of data-driven precision pain medicine algorithms to mitigate opioid related risks. The study aims to determine whether subjective and physiological stress-related measures are associated with analgesic and misuse-relevant subjective responses to placebo-controlled oxycodone administration. The study also aims to evaluate associations between stress-related measures and both endogenous opioid (EO) function and endocannabinoid (EC) levels and to test whether EO and EC mechanisms contribute to associations between stress-related measures and oxycodone responses Using a mixed between/within-subject design, the study will obtain baseline assessment of stress related markers followed by 3 laboratory sessions with assessment of endocannabinoids, back pain assessment, and exposure to standardized evoked pain stimuli after administration of placebo, naloxone, and oxycodone.
Open study recordPeople with opioid use disorder (OUD) can have trouble falling or staying asleep. Researchers want to know if suvorexant will help people with OUD fall asleep and stay asleep. The goal of this study is to learn about the safety of suvorexant and how well people tolerate it. Researchers also want to learn if suvorexant helps people sleep longer compared to people who take placebo. A placebo looks like the study medicine but has no actual study medicine in it.
Open study recordThe purpose of the study is to develop and test innovative interventions to prevent the development of opioid misuse and opioid use disorders among older adolescents and young adults (AYA; ages 16-30) who use opioids, which will be initiated from a health care visit in the emergency department and extended post discharge via a telehealth approach. This study will have significant impact by identifying optimal, cost-effective opioid prevention strategies to sustain outcomes among AYAs.
Open study recordThis study is testing whether offering buprenorphine treatment directly at syringe service programs (SSPs) helps more people start and stay in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) than referring them to community buprenorphine treatment providers. Buprenorphine is a medication that helps reduce opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms. The study compares two ways of connecting people to treatment: Referral to a community treatment provider (usual care before the new program begins). Onsite, low-threshold buprenorphine treatment at the SSP, which allows participants to start medication quickly and without having to establish care at another provider. Participants will be adults who have opioid use disorder and are SSP clients. Each SSP will begin offering the new onsite buprenorphine program at different times during the study. Researchers will collect information before and after the new program begins to see how it affects treatment engagement and health outcomes. The study will also examine how easy or difficult it is for SSPs to start and run the new program, how acceptable it is to staff and participants, and whether it is cost-effective. The overall goal is to find better ways to expand access to life-saving opioid treatment in community-based settings. This is a Type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study designed to evaluate the impact and feasibility of implementing low-threshold buprenorphine (BUP) treatment at syringe service programs (SSPs) in order to improve access to and retention in medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment among people with moderate to severe opioid use disorder (OUD). The study seeks to understand whether the low-threshold approach improves participant-level outcomes and how SSPs can successfully implement and sustain this model. Study Design The study uses a cluster randomized stepped wedge design, in which eight SSPs will be randomly and sequentially assigned to begin implementing the low-threshold BUP program until all sites have transitioned from the referral condition to the intervention condition. This design allows each site to serve as its own control and ensures equitable access to the intervention over time. The stepped wedge design also facilitates examination of temporal effects, while accounting for differences in local environments and SSP readiness for implementation. Participants will be recruited across the eight SSPs in different geographic regions of the United States. SSPs will be selected to represent a range of community types (urban, suburban, and rural) and to reflect varying policy environments related to MOUD access. Study Rationale and Background Despite robust evidence that buprenorphine reduces overdose deaths and improves recovery outcomes, access to this medication remains limited, especially among people who use drugs and have difficulty navigating the healthcare system. Low-threshold buprenorphine models aim to reduce barriers by emphasizing same-day access, flexibility, and a treatment orientation that meets participants "where they are." SSPs provide a trusted, nonjudgmental environment and are uniquely positioned to engage individuals who are at highest risk for overdose and least likely to access formal treatment. Integrating buprenorphine prescribing directly within SSPs could substantially expand access to life-saving treatment in community settings. Study Objectives Primary Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of low-threshold BUP treatment at SSPs compared to treatment as usual (TAU) for increasing 3-month retention in buprenorphine treatment. Secondary Objectives: Assess buprenorphine adherence, additional OUD treatment outcomes, and health-related quality of life. Examine the cost-effectiveness of implementing low-threshold BUP at SSPs from both payer and societal perspectives. Characterize implementation outcomes-adoption, acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility, reach, fidelity, and sustainability-across diverse SSP settings. Exploratory Objectives: Explore participant-level moderators (e.g., polysubstance use, co-occurring mental health conditions, housing status, rurality) that may predict outcomes or differential intervention effects. Identify contextual determinants (organizational capacity, policy environment, leadership engagement) associated with successful SSP implementation. Study Procedures Participants will complete study assessments at baseline, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months post-enrollment. Measures will include substance use patterns, treatment engagement, overdose events, hospitalizations, and self-reported recovery activities. Laboratory-confirmed urine drug screens will be used to verify buprenorphine adherence. Pre-implementation (Treatment-as-Usual) Prior to implementing the low-threshold BUP model, SSPs will provide standard care, which includes referral to community MOUD providers for BUP treatment. Post-implementation (Low-Threshold BUP Program) Once implementation begins, SSPs will offer onsite BUP treatment directly through trained prescribers and peer outreach workers. Clients identified as eligible and interested will receive a medical evaluation from a study clinician (SC), including assessment for contraindications, education on BUP use, and initiation via home induction or observed dosing as appropriate. Follow-up visits will occur approximately every 4 weeks for 6 months and include focused psychosocial counseling, urine drug screening (when requested by the study clinician), and continued prescription management. Both in-person and telehealth models may be used to enhance accessibility. Participants may use any FDA-approved formulation of buprenorphine, including injectable long-acting formulations, based on shared decision-making between study clinician and participant. Implementation Facilitation Strategy To support successful and sustainable adoption of the low-threshold BUP model, the study's Lead Node (LN) will develop and deliver an Implementation Facilitation Package. This package will include: Structured training for SSP staff and clinicians on low-threshold buprenorphine principles and program logistics. Coaching on identifying a site champion, hiring or engaging a prescriber, and establishing clear protocols for medication management. Ongoing facilitation meetings between the LN and SSP implementation teams (champion, prescriber, peer outreach worker) to troubleshoot challenges, monitor fidelity, and adapt workflows. Tools for tracking and sustaining reach, fidelity, and acceptability over time. Hypotheses and Analytical Approach The central hypothesis is that embedding low-threshold buprenorphine treatment within SSPs will improve engagement and retention in MOUD compared to standard referral pathways. Analyses will use mixed-effects regression models accounting for site-level clustering and time effects. Effectiveness analyses will focus on 3-month retention as the primary outcome, with sensitivity analyses at 6 months. Cost-effectiveness analyses will use quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as the main effectiveness measure. Implementation analyses will use the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) frameworks to identify determinants, measure outcomes, and map facilitation processes. Qualitative interviews with staff and participants will complement quantitative metrics, offering a comprehensive understanding of how and why the intervention succeeds or encounters barriers. Expected Impact This study addresses a critical public health need by testing a scalable, community-driven model of OUD treatment. If the low-threshold SSP-based buprenorphine program is found to be effective and cost-efficient, the Implementation Facilitation Package developed through this study will serve as a replicable framework for dissemination to SSPs or other community-based settings nationwide. The findings have the potential to directly inform national strategies for expanding access to evidence-based treatment, reducing overdose deaths, and promoting patient-centered care.
Open study recordThe study will enroll participants with opioid use disorder and participants will reside at the University of Kentucky Hospital for this 6-week inpatient trial. During this time, double-blind doses of cannabis and opioids will be administered. The goal of the project is to determine if cannabis can alter the drive/desire to take opioids.
Open study recordThis inpatient study enrolls healthy individuals who have opioid use disorder. Participants live at the University of Kentucky Hospital for approx. 6 weeks. During this time, we will examine how repeated doses of oral cannabis and acute doses of oral and inhaled cannabis 1) modify the intensity and time course of opioid withdrawal, 2) modify the effects of intranasal opioid administration and 3) impact the safety of opioid administration.
Open study recordThe primary objective of this research study is to evaluate the effect of tirzepatide, relative to placebo, as an adjunct to BUP on retention, substance use, and sleep outcomes in individuals with OUD. This is a Phase 2, pragmatic, multi-site, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, intent-to-treat trial. The selection of placebo as the comparator is considered the gold standard for medication trials. Eligible participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to tirzepatide or placebo, balancing on site and buprenorphine (BUP) formulation (transmucosal vs extended-release). Participants will receive tirzepatide or placebo based on randomized assignment, with "dose escalation" of placebo following the schedule for tirzepatide and tirzepatide dosing being consistent with prescribing guidelines. Participants will be administered a subcutaneous (SQ) study medication injection weekly and attend weekly research visits through 26 weeks post-randomization with longer research visits at 1, 3, and 6 months post-randomization. A follow-up visit for final safety measures will be completed at week 30, which takes into account tirzepatide's long half-life. Duration of participation will be approximately 31 weeks for study participants. Participants will be administered study medication and attend weekly research visits through 6 months post-randomization with longer research visits at 1-, 3-, and 6-months post-randomization. Participants will be provided with a Fitbit to measure sleep. BUP is not a study medication; participants will receive BUP through their clinical provider. A follow-up visit for final safety measures will be completed at week 30.
Open study recordInitiations of methadone treatment for opiode use disorder (OUD) are carried out in France in specialized centers, known as centers for care, support and prevention in addictology (CSAPA) In this way, hospital practitioners initiate the prescription of methadone, which is delivered on the spot by the nursing team. CSAPA nurses, and addictology nurses more generally, have a real range of skills which can include adapting treatment doses according to a protocol pre-established in a team, and medically validated (French law no. 2019-774 of July 24, 2019 relating to the organization and transformation of the healthcare system). The methadone speciality used for initiation in CSAPAs is almost always the syrup form. The capsule form can only be used after one year's treatment, unless exceptionally authorized by the medical officer of the French National Health Insurance Fund. However, regulations stipulate that the prescription of methadone syrup must be renewed every fourteen days, which in theory means that a CSAPA doctor must see the patient at least twice a month to renew the prescription, throughout the entire course of treatment. In practice, medical resources are often not sufficient for patients to be seen by a doctor at such a rate. Numerous palliative organizations exist, though they remain poorly described and documented. In some centers, doctors focus primarily on initiations, and prescriptions for patients for whom "stability" has been achieved are sometimes renewed for longer periods than fourteen days, with nurses in charge of assessing whether this organization is suitable for the patient. The notion of stability varies significantly from one center to another, and may mean achieving a constant dose, stopping illicit opioid use, or other criteria more focused on the patient's psychosocial reintegration. By outlining the missions of Addictology nurses, and more specifically of CSAPA nurses, the investigators can define the essential skills required of nurses to carry out these missions. The main hypothesis of the DIADEME study is that semi-autonomous management of methadone treatment initiation by CSAPA nursing teams helps to reinforce adherence to care and thus improve retention rates in the 3 months following initiation.
Open study recordThe primary objective of this phase 2 study is to investigate the therapeutic potential of orally administered combined delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in relieving both pain and cue-induced opioid craving in people with co-occurring opioid use disorder (OUD) and chronic pain who are undergoing methadone therapy. This phase 2 study will utilize a rigorous double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover experimental design. We will enroll 147 participants with co-occurring OUD and chronic pain who are receiving methadone maintenance treatment and randomize them into three groups (n=49). Across three test sessions, each group will receive single doses of THC (5 mg, 10 mg, or placebo) and CBD (300 mg, 600 mg, or placebo) in a 3x3 design, with THC dose as a between-subject (parallel-group) factor and CBD dose as within-subject (crossover) factor. All three groups will undergo otherwise identical procedures to ensure internal validity. Our central hypothesis posits that, combined, THC and CBD will be more effective in alleviating pain and cue-induced opioid craving than either drug alone. While THC's analgesic effects may benefit those with co-occurring OUD and chronic pain, its abuse potential and cognitive/psychomotor deficits require careful dose consideration. Combining THC with non-hedonic and neuroprotective CBD could offer a compelling two-pronged approach to alleviate both pain and opioid craving. This study will also explore if sex influences the responses to THC and CBD, given the growing evidence indicating sex-specific effects of cannabinoids and pain responses. If our hypothesis is confirmed, selected THC/CBD doses may serve as a novel, dual-action therapy to alleviate both pain and opioid craving in co-occurring OUD and chronic pain.
Open study recordThis study seeks to test a new model of care (ID/LAB) in which opioid use disorder (OUD) is managed by infectious disease (ID) specialists and hospitalists concurrent with management of the OUD-related infections, using long-acting injectable buprenorphine (LAB), followed by referral as soon as possible after hospital discharge to community resources for long term treatment of OUD. There are three specific aims that this study will use to assess a new model of care aimed at treating opioid use disorder (OUD). These aims address whether treatment is maintained by patients, if patients' opioid use outcomes improve and to determine if adherence to treatment for infectious disease results in fewer re-hospitalizations and emergency room visits, as well as improved quality of life. The specific aims: Aim1: The primary outcome will be a binary indicator of whether a patient is enrolled in and receiving effective medication treatment for OUD (buprenorphine, methadone, or injection naltrexone) at 12 weeks (3 months) after randomization. Aim 2: Evidence of improved opioid use outcomes (lower days of using opioids, negative urine opioids). Aim 3: Have higher rates of completion of the antimicrobial regimen for their infectious disease, decreased re-hospitalizations and emergency room presentations related to either their infectious disease or OUD over the 12-week follow-up period, and improved measures of quality of life. The intent of this study is to test the hypothesis: Assignment to the ID/LAB arm (OUD managed directly by the infectious disease (ID) specialists or hospitalist team with long acting injection buprenorphine (LAB)) will promote greater enrollment in effective medication treatment for OUD at 12 weeks after randomization, compared to TAU. Secondary Outcome measures were updated at time of results entry.
Open study recordThe long-term goal of the project is to determine whether cannabidiol (CBD) can reduce craving and relapse in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). The first phase of our project was an open cross-over design study in healthy individuals to confirm the safety and pharmacokinetic (PK) effects of CBD. This next phase is to determine whether CBD can serve as a potential adjunct treatment to reduce craving and anxiety in individuals with OUD maintained on opioid agonist therapy. In this Phase 2 study, the research team will conduct a double-blind (placebo-controlled) randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether 200mg and/or 400mg CBD (BSPG Laboratories) given twice daily (morning and evening), as compared to placebo, reduces cue-induced craving and anxiety in individuals with opioid use disorder who are maintained on methadone or buprenorphine. In addition to in-lab physiological and behavioral assessments of cue-induced craving and anxiety, the research team will also employ ecological momentary assessment to obtain real-world measures of symptoms including craving, anxiety, and mood.
Open study recordThis study plans to enroll participants with opioid use disorder who are not currently seeking treatment to assess the effects of cannabis on opioid withdrawal and other related outcomes.
Open study recordThe goal of this pilot study is to test novel, adjunctive pharmacotherapy for patients with opioid use disorder (POUD) who may be at risk for overdose and other poor opioid use disorder (OUD) outcomes even after initiating buprenorphine. The investigator team proposes to test the effectiveness of combined dronabinol (synthetic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol \[THC\]) and Epidiolex (cannabidiol \[CBD\]) - two FDA-approved cannabinoids - to improve retention in buprenorphine treatment and reduce opioid use among POUD who are early in treatment. POUD who are early in treatment are at a critical juncture-a moment of opportunity and motivation, but also of high risk of return to opioid use and loss to follow up. OUD and opioid overdose death rates remain shockingly high in the United States fueled by high potency opioids like fentanyl. Buprenorphine is an evidence-based therapy for OUD that reduces mortality, improves OUD outcomes, and is increasingly available. Three-month buprenorphine retention halves all-cause mortality; however, only 40-60% of POUD are retained in buprenorphine treatment for 3 or more months. Further, POUD who use fentanyl report protracted opioid withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, pain, insomnia, and opioid cravings, even months after reaching maximum doses of buprenorphine. Nearly 50% of POUD who use fentanyl return to use within 3 months.12 To improve success of buprenorphine treatment, new strategies for starting buprenorphine have emerged, such as low-dose initiation with ongoing opioid agonists, however, few interventions exist to improve treatment after starting buprenorphine, and those that exist are non-pharmacologic. Alpha-2-agonists (e.g., clonidine) reduce some withdrawal symptoms but can only be given for a short time without cardiac side effects. Pharmacologic adjuncts to buprenorphine are desperately needed to improve OUD outcomes in the fentanyl era. Cannabis, the two key ingredients of which are THC and CBD, reduces opioid withdrawal in observational studies and thus has biologic plausibility for improving buprenorphine treatment retention. In two randomized trials, THC improved acute opioid withdrawal symptoms (e.g., muscle aches, muscle tension, and flu-like prodrome) a common driver of ongoing opioid use. THC is also effective in reducing acute and chronic pain in POUD another driver of ongoing use; however, patients receiving THC alone may experience adverse effects, such as panic, anxiety, and poor cognition. Co-administration with CBD may counteract these effects and maximize THC's benefits. In pre-clinical and clinical trials CBD reduces anxiety, pain, cue-induced opioid cravings, and attentional bias to drug-induced cues. When THC and CBD are co-administered, patients experience improved analgesic effects and reduced adverse effects. The overarching hypothesis of this study is that adjunctive dronabinol + Epidiolex improves buprenorphine retention and opioid use in POUD through reducing opioid withdrawal (including cravings, and pain). The investigator team has developed an innovative 12-week pilot randomized trial of dronabinol + Epidiolex (versus placebo) as an adjunct to buprenorphine for OUD outcomes. 40 POUD participants within 21 days of buprenorphine initiation who are continuing either to use illicit opioids or to experience opioid withdrawal symptoms will be enrolled. Participants will be randomized to one of two arms as described in this registration. Study visits will occur at enrollment, and weeks 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12. There are two overarching Aims in this study. Aim 1: To determine the effectiveness and safety of 8- weeks of dronabinol + Epidiolex (vs. placebo) as an adjunct to buprenorphine in improving retention in OUD treatment and reducing opioid use. Hypothesis 1a: The dronabinol + Epidiolex (vs. placebo) group will have better 12-week retention in OUD treatment. Hypothesis 1b: The dronabinol + Epidiolex (vs. placebo) group will report less illicit opioid use. Hypothesis 2: The dronabinol + Epidiolex (vs. placebo) group will have no difference in significant adverse events or treatment limiting adverse events. Aim 2: To explore the mechanism by which cannabinoids may improve OUD outcomes after buprenorphine initiation in POUD. The investigator team will explore how dronabinol + Epidiolex use are associated with change in opioid withdrawal symptoms, opioid cravings, and pain and whether these changes are associated with OUD outcomes. Hypothesis 3: The dronabinol + Epidiolex (vs. placebo) group will have fewer withdrawal symptoms, opioid cravings and pain, which will mediate the impact of cannabinoids on OUD outcomes.
Open study recordThis is a 5-year Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation Randomized Control Trial (RCT) that compares two models of linking and retaining individuals recently released from justice involvement to the continuum of community-based HIV prevention and treatment, HCV treatment, STI treatment, and opioid use disorder (OUD) prevention and treatment, medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) service cascades of care. This 5-year Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation RCT trial compares two models of linking and retaining individuals recently released from justice involvement to the continuum of community-based HIV and OUD prevention and treatment (MOUD) service cascades of care. A significant innovation of this RCT is that it will be delivered within 4 communities where coalition infrastructures have been established as part of the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) studies, a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded Cooperative Agreement initiative to mitigate the impact criminal justice (CJ)-involved individuals with OUD are having on local communities, and the investigators will be able to build on that existing infrastructure. Specifically, up to 960 CJ-involved individuals will be recruited across 2 CT (New London/Middlesex Counties and Windham/Tolland/New Haven/Hartford Counties) \& 2 Texas (Dallas and Tarrant Counties) high risk communities. HIV status will be assessed via rapid testing at initial point of contact. Participants will be randomized to receive at post-release either: a) a Patient Navigator (PN) system for care, wherein navigators will assist linking study participants to appropriate community service providers (e.g., OUD/SUD treatment including MOUD, and HCV testing and treatment; those not living with HIV will be provided access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services, and those living with HIV will receive assistance with gaining initial or continued access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) services, or b) services delivered via a Mobile Health Unit (MHU) within the participants community where participants will receive PrEP/ART, MOUD, and harm reduction services on the MHU or assistance from a community health worker (CHW) in linking to appropriate community-based OUD and other medical and behavioral health providers. The interventions will last for 6 months post-release from custody. The focus of this study is the randomized controlled trial. Study objectives: Aim 1 (Intervention Effectiveness) Primary: To compare the effectiveness of PN vs. MHU service delivery on participant length of time to initiating post-release PrEP (prevention)/ART (treatment) medication within 6 months following release from justice involvement. Secondary outcomes will examine the continuum of PrEP and HIV care outcomes, including (but not limited to) the following additional HIV-related measures: viral suppression for people living with HIV (PLH), PrEP adherence, HIV risk behaviors; HCV Measures: HCV testing \& linkage to treatment. Importantly, the investigators will also assess OUD and Substance Use Disorders (SUD)-related measures: OUD/SUD diagnoses, MOUD prescription receipt \& retention, opioid \& stimulant use, and overdose incidents. Other outcomes of interest include sexually transmitted infection (STI) incidence; and primary medical care appointments. Aim 2 (Implementation): To evaluate Patient Navigation (PN ) and Mobile Health Unit (MHU) feasibility, acceptability, and costs. Primary implementation outcomes include feasibility (health care utilization impact among released individuals, contributions of interagency workgroup members on outcomes); acceptability (participant satisfaction, perceived usefulness); sustainment (continued utilization), and costs required to implement and sustain the approaches as well as to scale-up in additional communities. Additional outcomes will examine the broader impact on community health care including other health services accessed, expanded OUD services, and common barriers (e.g., stigma) to service access across the community provider spectrum. The investigators will also assess cost offsets and effectiveness of the service delivery models on the cascade outcomes. A Persons Who Inject Drugs (PWID) sub-study will focus on gaining insight into participant and social context (inner and outer) factors associated with the effectiveness outcomes. Note: The study sample size was revised from 864 to 538 participants following identification of an error in the original power analysis, which incorrectly used HIV-positive initiation rates to estimate the overall effect size. A revised power analysis was conducted, and the updated sample size was reviewed and approved by the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) during its August 2023 review.
Open study recordThe primary objective of this trial is to measure changes in physiologic signals to quantify the status of the autonomic nervous system during opioid withdrawal and cravings. This is a prospective observational clinical trial in which 20 participants with a history of dependence on prescription or non-prescription opioids will be recruited for collection of physiologic data via wearable sensors during a 14-day inpatient detoxification treatment. The EmbracePlus Smartwatch and Corti Sensor will be worn continuously throughout the 14-day treatment course to detect heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance, skin temperature, motion, and cortisol levels.
Open study recordThis study explored whether changes in a person's voice could help identify opioid use in patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Current methods for determining whether a patient is intoxicated or in withdrawal often rely on self-reporting and clinical judgment, which can be subjective and inconsistent. Drug tests are logistically challenging to administer and can be costly with repeated use. The project investigated whether physiological changes associated with opioid use could be detected through speech analysis technology. Researchers evaluated whether machine learning methods could identify voice patterns associated with opioid intoxication or withdrawal. The primary goal of the study was to assess the accuracy of voice-based biomarkers in identifying opioid use. The study also explored relationships between opioid use and specific speech characteristics. This study investigated whether changes in a person's voice could be used to identify opioid use in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). The opioid epidemic continues to present significant public health, medical, and social challenges in the United States and globally. Clinicians treating patients with OUD often need to determine whether a patient may be actively using opioids, intoxicated, withdrawing, or responding appropriately to treatment. Current approaches commonly rely on self-reporting, interviews, behavioral observations, urine toxicology testing, and clinical judgment. While these methods can be useful, they may also be subjective, resource-intensive, intermittent, invasive, or difficult to implement frequently in routine care settings. The purpose of this project was to evaluate whether speech analysis technology could provide a more objective, scalable, and non-invasive approach for monitoring opioid-related physiological changes. Human speech is a complex neuromuscular activity that depends on the coordinated function of the brain, respiratory system, vocal tract, and facial musculature. Opioids can affect cognitive processing, respiratory patterns, motor coordination, reaction time, sedation levels, and muscle control, all of which may influence characteristics of speech production. Prior scientific literature has suggested that physiological and neurological conditions can sometimes produce measurable changes in speech patterns. This project sought to determine whether similar measurable changes could be associated with opioid use. The study focused specifically on analyzing speech recordings from participants with opioid use disorder. Researchers collected voice samples and applied computational analysis methods to evaluate whether acoustic and temporal speech features could distinguish opioid-related states. The project used signal-processing techniques and machine learning methods to analyze a range of speech characteristics that may reflect physiological effects associated with opioid exposure. Evaluated speech features included acoustic biomarkers commonly studied in speech analytics research. The project investigated whether combinations of these features could be used to identify patterns associated with opioid intoxication or withdrawal. A major goal of the study was to assess the feasibility of using speech as a physiological biomarker for opioid use monitoring. Researchers evaluated whether machine learning models could reliably differentiate between opioid-related conditions using speech data alone. The primary objective of the study was to assess the accuracy and feasibility of voice-based biomarkers for identifying opioid use in individuals with OUD. The study also aimed to better understand the limitations and challenges associated with speech-based impairment detection. As part of the research effort, the project contributed to the development of internal workflows and analytic infrastructure for handling sensitive speech data. Researchers established preprocessing pipelines for audio ingestion, normalization, feature extraction, labeling, quality control, and model evaluation. The work generated technical findings regarding the feasibility of speech-based opioid detection and highlighted several scientific and engineering challenges associated with this problem space. These included variability in recording environments, differences between speakers, background noise, individual physiological differences, and the difficulty of isolating opioid-related speech effects from unrelated sources of variation. The study also reinforced the challenges associated with developing generalized machine learning classifiers for complex real-world physiological states using speech data alone. Although the project explored the potential for objective opioid monitoring through speech analysis, the research did not produce a clinically deployable classifier during the study period. However, the project generated valuable information regarding the limitations, feasibility considerations, and technical barriers associated with speech-based opioid detection approaches. These findings informed future research planning, technology-development decisions, and evaluation strategies for impairment-detection technologies. Overall, the project contributed to ongoing research efforts exploring non-invasive digital biomarkers for substance-use monitoring. The findings from this work may help guide future investigations into speech analytics, physiological monitoring, and machine learning approaches for identifying substance-related impairment and supporting clinical decision-making in addiction medicine settings.
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