Reduce drinking to improve protection from HIV on PrEP

A brief alcohol intervention to reduce alcohol use and improve PrEP outcomes: A randomized controlled trial.

NIH-funded research Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11137738

This project is trying a short counseling program to help people who drink alcohol while on PrEP drink less and stay on their PrEP medication.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniv of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Chapel Hill, United States)
Project IDNIH-11137738 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you join, you'll be randomly assigned to receive a brief counseling program based on motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral skills or to get the clinic's usual care. The team will track your PrEP use, how well you stick to daily pills or event-driven dosing, and your drinking over time. The trial is being run at PrEP clinics in Vietnam, including Hanoi Medical University, and enrolls people starting or restarting PrEP who report unhealthy alcohol use. Researchers will also measure cost, feasibility, and whether clinics and patients find the counseling acceptable for wider use.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People in Vietnam who are starting or restarting PrEP and report unhealthy alcohol use are ideal candidates for this project.

Not a fit: People who do not drink alcohol, are not using PrEP, or who require specialized treatment for severe alcohol dependence may not receive benefit from this brief counseling approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the counseling could help people on PrEP drink less and maintain better protection against HIV.

How similar studies have performed: Brief alcohol interventions have improved adherence and viral suppression for people living with HIV on treatment, but using them specifically to support PrEP users is relatively new.

Where this research is happening

Chapel Hill, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.