Acupuncture in the Emergency Department for Pain in 5 BraveNet Centers
Official title: 1/2: Acupuncture in the Emergency Department for Pain Management: A BraveNet Multi-Center Phase 3 Study (ACUITY 2)
Funded at University of California-Irvine · NIH-11359458 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-center plan will try acupuncture for acute pain in adults visiting emergency departments to see if it provides better relief than usual care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,214,743 |
| NIH project number | 1UG3AT013105-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11359458 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 and older presenting with acute pain in participating BraveNet emergency departments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not respond to acupuncture or have contraindications to acupuncture may see no benefit.
What this research studies
This grant outlines a phase 3 plan to implement a responsive acupuncture approach across five BraveNet ED sites, starting with a 3-month pilot to refine documentation and processes. It builds on previous feasibility work showing good patient satisfaction and feasible recruitment, aiming to finalize infrastructure and run a larger comparison against usual care. If successful, this could offer ED clinicians a low-risk option to improve pain control for adults with acute pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with acute ED pain may experience greater and faster relief using acupuncture as part of standard care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous ED acupuncture trials showed reduced pain with acupuncture and high satisfaction, supporting further testing in a larger phase 3 trial.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California-Irvine
Irvine, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Dusek, Jeffery a. — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Dusek, Jeffery a.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.