Adaptive treatment for early smoking relapse in adults
Official title: A clinical trial of adaptive treatment for early smoking cessation relapse
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11362332 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests different paths to help adults who smoke quit again after an early relapse, including trying a different quitting medicine or switching to a safer nicotine product.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $600,386 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA284649-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362332 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults 21 years and older who smoke and are willing to set a quit date, particularly those who have previously failed or relapsed while attempting to quit with pharmacotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Participants who are unwilling to try FDA-approved cessation medications or who do not intend to quit may not benefit.
What this research studies
The study enrolls adults 21+ who smoke and have tried to quit but relapsed or struggled to start quitting. Participants who plan to quit will receive FDA-approved quitting medications for 4 weeks and then follow an adaptive plan to switch medicines or switch to an e-cigarette depending on early response. The trial compares whether changing therapy after initial failure works better than repeating the same course, and whether switching to e-cigarettes helps more than another quit attempt with the same therapy. The goal is to identify a personalized sequence of treatments that maximizes abstinence and minimizes relapse. The setting includes sites in South Carolina and Alabama with everyday care integrated into the trial process.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could provide clearer guidance on how to adjust quitting therapy after early relapse to improve long-term abstinence.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research supports adaptive treatment approaches in other conditions; this trial explores novel combinations including switching to e-cigarettes after multiple failures.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Tracy Taylor — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Smith, Tracy Taylor
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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.