Flexible methadone take-home dosing to keep people in treatment
Official title: Leveraging regulatory flexibility for methadone take-home dosing to improve retention in treatment for opioid use disorder: A stepped-wedge randomized trial to facilitate clinic level changes
Funded at New York University School of Medicine · NIH-11396986 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A large, real-world study tests whether making take-home methadone more flexible helps people stay in treatment for opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,066,324 |
| NIH project number | 5R33DA057683-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11396986 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults receiving methadone treatment for opioid use disorder at participating clinics who are eligible for take-home dosing.
✕Less likely to help
Patients at sites that cannot implement take-home dosing changes or who do not qualify for take-home options may not benefit.
What this research studies
This study will test new, steadier clinic workflows that allow patients to take methadone home more often, aiming to keep them connected to care. It uses a stepped-wedge design across clinics to see how changes in policies affect retention and life quality. Participants are people enrolled in opioid treatment programs who could benefit from easier take-home dosing. The project will also explore safety concerns and how clinics adapt to new guidelines. Results could show practical ways to improve access to care while maintaining safety.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could stay in treatment longer with fewer clinic visits, improving health and well-being.
How similar studies have gone: Prior regulatory changes suggesting benefit to retention exist, but more data-driven, clinic-level implementations are needed.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University School of Medicine
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Neighbors, Charles J — New York University School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Neighbors, Charles J
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Systems analysis to improve opioid use disorder care after jail release (SAIA-MOUD)
A program to help people with opioid use disorder get better, faster, and safer care after they leave jail.
-
Precise epigenetic drugs for opioid addiction
A tiny, targeted drug approach is being developed to help people with opioid use disorder by rewriting the epigenetic signals in the brain to reduce cravings and relapse risk.
-
Increasing Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder for Unhoused Montanans
This project helps unhoused people in Montana get life-saving medicines for opioid use disorder through clinics connected to syringe service programs, a nurse-led MOUD model, and peer support.
-
Optimizing long-acting PrEP and opioid treatment for people in jails and prisons
This project tests a real-world approach to using long-acting PrEP and buprenorphine for HIV prevention and opioid treatment among incarcerated individuals and after release.
-
Scaling up medications for opioid use disorder in residential treatment programs
This grant studies how to help residential treatment programs provide medications for opioid use disorder to reduce overdoses after discharge, focusing on real-world settings and policies.
-
Increasing Capacity at a Native Community Clinic to Improve Opioid Care for urban AI/AN
This grant helps a Native American health clinic build its research capacity to better serve urban American Indian and Alaska Native people dealing with opioid use disorder and related health issues.
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.