Autonomous nurse-led methadone delivery

Autonomous Methadone Delivery System by Nurses

NA · Hospices Civils de Lyon · NCT07085377

This test sees if allowing nurses to manage and give methadone helps people starting treatment for opioid use disorder.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment182 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorHospices Civils de Lyon (other)
Locations8 sites (Bayonne and 7 other locations)
Trial IDNCT07085377 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Adults starting methadone treatment at participating French CSAPA centers are assigned to either the DIADEME autonomous nursing delivery strategy or to a control strategy. Under the DIADEME approach, trained CSAPA nurses deliver methadone on site and may adapt doses according to a pre-approved team protocol and medical validation, while all participants receive regular semi-structured interviews. Participants are followed for three months to document medication delivery, adherence, safety, and care trajectories. The trial builds on recent French regulatory changes that expand nurse roles to test feasibility and acceptability of nurse-managed initiation and delivery.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (18+) with opioid use disorder who plan to start methadone in a participating CSAPA within seven days and agree to three months of follow-up are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People who received methadone by prescription in the prior three months, those with unstable psychiatric or cognitive disorders, pregnant or breastfeeding people, those unable to communicate in French, or those planning early transfer to another prescriber or pharmacy are unlikely to benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make methadone initiation easier to access and allow nurses to safely manage treatment, potentially improving continuity of care.

How similar studies have performed: Nurse-led or task-shifting models for opioid treatment are relatively novel in France with limited published evidence, though similar approaches in other settings have shown mixed but sometimes promising results.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Subject 18 years of age or older,
* With opioid use disorder (OUD) according to DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) criteria (other authorized psychoactive substance use),
* Intending to start methadone treatment for OUD in a CSAPA center within 7 days,
* Agreeing to be followed up in a CSAPA over the next 3 months,

Exclusion Criteria:

* Having taken methadone treatment (on prescription) in the three months prior to inclusion,
* Simultaneous medical care in another addictology facility,
* with a day-hospital project,
* Referral to town prescriber or town pharmacy planned and/or requested by patient before 3 month,
* Non-stabilized psychiatric disorder or cognitive impairment likely to compromise compliance and involvement in care (at investigator's discretion),
* Inability to communicate and express themselves in French language,
* Subject to a legal protection measure other than curatorship,
* Pregnant or breast-feeding.

Where this trial is running

Bayonne and 7 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Opioid Use Disorder, Addictology, Opioid use disorder, Methadone, Autonomous nursing system medication delivery, Nursing Care Delivery System

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.