Safe ways to reduce or stop benzodiazepine medicines
Official title: National Practice Guidelines for Safe Tapering of Benzodiazepines
Funded at American Society of Addiction Medicine · NIH-11422461 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will create clear national guidance to help people safely taper off benzodiazepine medications.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | American Society of Addiction Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rockville, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2022 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $331,625 |
| NIH project number | 3U01FD007804-01S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422461 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people taking benzodiazepines long-term who want to reduce or stop their medication, including older adults and those prescribed these drugs for anxiety, insomnia, or seizure-related conditions.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not taking benzodiazepines, or who require uninterrupted benzodiazepine treatment for uncontrolled seizures or other urgent medical reasons, may not benefit from these tapering guidelines.
What this research studies
If you take benzodiazepines, this project will bring together experts, clinicians, and patients to review the best evidence and clinical experience about tapering strategies. The team will develop practical step-by-step guidance on how to reduce doses safely, how quickly to taper, and what supports (like counseling or alternative treatments) can help. They will address special situations such as older adults, people with seizure disorders, and cases where benzodiazepines are combined with opioids or alcohol. The guideline development will include literature reviews, expert consensus, and input from people with lived experience and frontline clinicians.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If adopted, these guidelines could reduce withdrawal harms, lower overdose risk, and help doctors and patients make safer, more consistent tapering plans.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies support gradual tapering and the benefit of adding behavioral supports like cognitive behavioral therapy, but there is currently no single nationally accepted guideline for benzodiazepine tapering.
Where this research is happening
-
American Society of Addiction Medicine
Rockville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Boyle, Maureen Patricia — American Society of Addiction Medicine
- Study coordinator: Boyle, Maureen Patricia
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.