Outreach program for drug checking and HIV prevention

Impact of a Novel HIV Peer Navigation and Overdose Prevention Intervention on Engagement in the HIV Prevention and Treatment Cascade

Not applicable Interventional Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health · NCT05977881

This study is testing a program that offers drug-checking services and HIV prevention medication to help people who use drugs in Baltimore stay safe and healthy.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment500 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorJohns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Academic / other
Locations1 site (Baltimore, Maryland)
Trial IDNCT05977881 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

The Substance Checking Outreach and Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Engagement study aims to reduce overdose and HIV infections among people who use drugs (PWUD) in Baltimore City. It will provide drug-checking services to help PWUD understand the contents of their drug supply while also offering PrEP to those who are HIV-negative. The study involves calibrating and validating drug-checking technology, piloting its use among PWUD, and recruiting a longitudinal cohort to evaluate the intervention's effectiveness over 18 months. The primary outcomes include engagement in PrEP care and overdose prevention.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this study are individuals aged 18 and older who have used illicit stimulants or opioids in the past three months and are HIV-negative.

Not a fit: Patients who are not engaged in drug use or who are HIV-positive may not receive benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could significantly reduce the rates of HIV infections and drug overdoses among vulnerable populations.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown success with similar harm reduction approaches, indicating potential for positive outcomes in this novel intervention.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* 18 years or older,
* self-reports having used illicit stimulants or opioids at least once in the past 3 months,
* self-reports being HIV negative
* reports injection drug use in the past 6 months OR reports at least one of the following indicators of sexual HIV risk exposure in the past 6 months:

  1. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) diagnosis in the past 6 months
  2. "Condom-less" vaginal or anal sex in the past 6 months
* Willing to provide a urine sample for urine drug screening of substances
* Willing to undergo rapid HIV testing
* Willing to undergo STI testing

Exclusion Criteria:

* Determined to be too high or drunk or cognitively impaired, less than 18 years of age
* unwilling to provide all required biological specimens (Phase 3 only)
* unwilling/unable to give consent

Where this trial is running

Baltimore, Maryland

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.
Conditions HIV InfectionsDrug UseOverdosePrEPHarm Reduction
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.