Guanfacine to help women reduce drinking using telehealth
Guanfacine for women with AUD: A multisite study using a telehealth approach
Women with alcohol use disorder will try a daily guanfacine pill or placebo for 12 weeks delivered mostly by telehealth to see if it lowers drinking, craving, and improves stress-related coping.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11196741 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This is a 12-week, randomized, double-blind trial comparing extended-release guanfacine (3 mg/day) to placebo in women with alcohol use disorder using a validated remote platform to boost recruitment and retention. About 130 women will be enrolled across two sites, with most visits and momentary reports completed by phone or secure telehealth. The study targets alcohol craving and emotion regulation during stress as key relapse-related processes that may be especially important for women. Medication, symptom monitoring, and remote assessments will be used to measure drinking outcomes and changes in stress and craving.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women diagnosed with alcohol use disorder who can take daily medication, participate in a 12-week randomized trial, and complete telehealth visits and remote reporting are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are not women, are pregnant or breastfeeding, have medical contraindications or interacting medications, or cannot engage with remote/telehealth visits may not qualify or benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could offer a medication-based option that helps women reduce drinking and manage cravings and stress through remote treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Smaller laboratory and clinical studies suggest guanfacine can reduce craving and improve stress-related control in substance use, but large randomized trials specifically in women with AUD are limited.
Where this research is happening
Indianapolis, United States
- Indiana University Indianapolis — Indianapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fox, Helen Cecilia — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Fox, Helen Cecilia
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 below.