Benefits of reducing methamphetamine use
Official title: Advancing Non-Abstinence Outcomes in the Treatment of Methamphetamine Use Disorder
Run by University of Kentucky · NCT07226596 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will try contingency management to see if cutting back on methamphetamine improves physical, mental, and social health for adults with moderate-to-severe methamphetamine use disorder.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 300 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Kentucky Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Lexington, Kentucky) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 14, 2026 |
| Main results expected | January 4, 2031 |
| Study ends | January 4, 2031 |
| Registry record updated | June 8, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07226596 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (aged 18 and older) who report recent methamphetamine use, provide a methamphetamine-positive urine at screening, meet DSM-5 criteria for moderate-to-severe methamphetamine use disorder, are seeking treatment, and can commit to the 12-week intervention plus 12-week follow-up are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People with unstable medical or psychiatric conditions, severe untreated other substance use disorders requiring medically managed detoxification, or those unable to attend in-person visits may not benefit or may be excluded.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Adults with moderate-to-severe methamphetamine use disorder who provide a methamphetamine-positive urine at screening will receive a 12-week contingency management intervention and be followed for an additional 12 weeks. The trial focuses on non‑abstinence outcomes by measuring biological, psychological, and social changes associated with reduced use rather than requiring complete abstinence. Outcomes include urine drug tests, clinical symptom ratings, and standardized measures of physical and mental health, functioning, and quality of life. The aim is to document whether reductions in use produce meaningful biopsychosocial benefits that could support broader endpoints in future treatment development.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could show that cutting back on methamphetamine leads to real health and social improvements and broaden acceptable treatment goals.
How similar studies have gone: Contingency management has been shown to reduce stimulant use in prior studies, but few trials have systematically demonstrated broader biopsychosocial benefits from reduced (non‑abstinent) use.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * be age 18 years or older; * self-report methamphetamine use in the week prior to screening; * provide a methamphetamine-positive urine sample at screening; * meet DSM-5 criteria for moderate-severe Methamphetamine Use Disorder (MUD); * be seeking treatment for their methamphetamine use * be able and willing to commit to the 12-week intervention, as well as the 12-week post-intervention follow-up * Individuals who meet these criteria and are stably maintained on buprenorphine or methadone for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) will also be eligible to participate. Exclusion Criteria: * current or past medical or psychiatric illness (e.g., physical dependence on any drug other than buprenorphine requiring medically managed detoxification, unstable angina, uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmia, aortic stenosis, self-reported compromised immune function, severe diagnosis for a SUD other than MUD or treated OUD) that would interfere with study participation in the opinion of the study physicians * poor venous access precluding blood draws
Where it's running
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Psychopharmacology of Addiction Laboratory
Lexington, Kentucky, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: William W Stoops, PhD — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: William W Stoops, PhD
- Email: william.stoops@uky.edu
- Phone: 8592575388
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
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Tirzepatide for methamphetamine use disorder (phase 2)
This phase 2 trial tests whether weekly tirzepatide injections can help adults with moderate to severe methamphetamine use disorder reduce use and improve outcomes compared with placebo.
-
Psilocybin Therapy for MeUD and HIV
This study tests whether a single psilocybin dose, paired with motivational support therapy, can help people with HIV and moderate-to-severe methamphetamine use disorder stop using methamphetamine.
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ECG changes in adults using methamphetamine with and without psychosis
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CHAMPION: Combining HIV Prevention and Meth Treatment for HIV-Negative MSM
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Methamphetamine cue-reactivity and cognitive reappraisal in men with methamphetamine use disorder
This project will test whether cognitive reappraisal reduces methamphetamine cue-triggered brain and physiological responses during abstinence in men with methamphetamine use disorder and whether effects differ between men who have sex with men (MSM) and non-MSM.
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Troriluzole and methamphetamine response
This study will see if taking troriluzole changes how methamphetamine affects adults with methamphetamine use disorder.
How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.