Treating polysubstance use in methadone maintenance with a digital rewards app
Official title: Treating Polysubstance Use in Methadone Maintenance: Application of Novel Digital Technology
Funded at Friends Research Institute, INC. · NIH-11382204 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study tests whether using a smartphone app to provide rewards for staying abstinent from opiates and cocaine and for picking up methadone can help people stay in treatment longer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Friends Research Institute, INC. NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $761,851 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA057608-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11382204 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with opioid use disorder and cocaine polysubstance use entering methadone maintenance, able to use a smartphone, and willing to participate in remote testing.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals unable to use a smartphone or with unstable housing or other barriers that prevent consistent remote monitoring may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a digital contingency management tool added to standard methadone care for people who have opioid use disorder and cocaine use. Participants are randomized to receive either treatment as usual or treatment as usual plus the DynamiCare Health Contingency Management app, delivered remotely over 48 weeks. The app provides rewards for meeting predefined targets, with abstinence verified by remote testing and methadone pickup verified by clinic records. Outcomes focus on retention in treatment and drug use, with data collected over a one-year period starting at methadone entry.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience better retention in methadone programs and reduced cocaine and opioid use.
How similar studies have gone: Prior contingency management studies have shown benefits in promoting adherence and abstinence in substance use treatment, but this specific digital approach is being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Friends Research Institute, INC.
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Alexander, Karen — Friends Research Institute, INC.
- Study coordinator: Alexander, Karen
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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.