How xylazine in fentanyl affects reducing or stopping injection drug use
Xylazine exposure and transitions to low-frequency injecting and injection cessation
This project talks with people in Connecticut and Massachusetts who use fentanyl mixed with xylazine to learn how they cut down or stop injecting and what helps or gets in the way.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162504 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be invited to take part in interviews about your experiences using fentanyl that may be mixed with xylazine, and about any steps you took to inject less often or to stop injecting. The team will recruit people in Connecticut and Massachusetts and use in-depth, qualitative conversations to learn about wound problems, overdose risks, and how services did or did not meet your needs as your drug use changed. Researchers will analyze themes across interviews to identify patterns and service gaps. Findings will be used to suggest ways harm reduction, wound care, and overdose prevention services can better support people reducing or stopping injection.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people in Connecticut or Massachusetts who currently or recently used fentanyl likely mixed with xylazine and who have reduced how often they inject or stopped injecting altogether.
Not a fit: People who do not use fentanyl or xylazine, or who live outside the study areas, are unlikely to directly benefit from participating in this specific project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help tailor harm reduction, wound care, and overdose-prevention services for people reducing or stopping injection after exposure to xylazine-adulterated fentanyl.
How similar studies have performed: Qualitative research has previously documented changes in injecting behavior and service needs, but focused work specifically on xylazine-adulterated fentanyl is relatively new and still emerging.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcneil, Ryan — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Mcneil, Ryan
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.