LEBANON — Dartmouth Health is recruiting participants in a five-year, nationwide study testing ways to help new patients with opioid use disorder stay in treatment and stable patients to end treatment safely, according to a news release.
DH’s Addiction Treatment Program is one of 18 sites participating in the study, which has already begun enrolling participants. The study covers the cost of visits and treatment medications. Participants also are eligible for counseling and other clinic services, and are paid for their time.
The study tests three strategies for keeping patients in medication treatment: medication dosage, medication delivery and use of a mobile app.
The study focuses on the use of two medications, buprenorphine and naltrexone. In partnership with their provider, participants will choose one of the two. Those who choose buprenorphine will either take it orally daily or get a monthly extended-release injection. Those who choose naltrexone will get monthly injections. Half of the study participants will use a mobile app, which sets reminders and rewards for staying on track, throughout their treatment.
The study also aims to help providers understand how best to help patients taper off the medication when they are stable in their sobriety. To end medication treatment, patients cannot have used drugs or had alcohol use disorder for at least 12 weeks. Those on buprenorphine must have been on it for at least a year, and those on naltrexone must have been on it for at least six months. Half of the patients ending treatment will be provided with a cognitive behavior therapy-based mobile app to track their progress.
Participants, who must be 18 or older, cannot be pregnant or planning to become pregnant. More information about participating in the study is available by calling or texting 603-727-8891, or emailing rddstudy@hitchcock.org.
