Primary care program to reduce overdose risk in teens and young adults

A Universal Primary Care Based Pilot Intervention to Reduce Youth Overdose Risk

Not applicable Interventional Boston Medical Center · NCT07022717

This program will try brief overdose-prevention counseling and naloxone information in primary care to see if it lowers overdose risk for teens and young adults ages 13–26.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment24 (estimated)
Ages13 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorBoston Medical Center Academic / other
Locations1 site (Boston, Massachusetts)
Trial IDNCT07022717 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

Primary care clinicians at Boston Medical Center deliver a brief youth-focused overdose prevention education session and provide information about naloxone during routine comprehensive physicals, compared with usual care. Participating clinicians are pediatric or family medicine physicians and advanced practice providers who see patients at least twice weekly. Eligible youth are English-speaking patients aged 13–26 scheduled with a participating provider; caregivers must be able to consent for minors. The intervention leverages trusted provider relationships in primary care to introduce harm reduction content in a developmentally appropriate way.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal participants are English-speaking teens and young adults ages 13–26 who are scheduled for a comprehensive physical with a participating pediatric or family medicine clinician at Boston Medical Center, and clinicians who work at least two clinic sessions per week.

Not a fit: Patients who are non-English speakers, under Department of Children and Families custody, have significant cognitive limitations as judged by their provider, or are in acute psychiatric distress may not benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase naloxone awareness and safer behaviors and reduce fatal and nonfatal overdoses among youth.

How similar studies have performed: Similar brief overdose-prevention and naloxone-distribution efforts have reduced overdose and been cost-effective in adults, but evidence for dedicated youth-focused primary care interventions is limited.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria for providers:

* Physicians and advance practice providers within Pediatric Primary Care and Family Medicine at Boston Medical Center (BMC)
* ≥ 2 clinic sessions per/week

Exclusion Criteria for providers:

* None

Inclusion criteria for youth:

* Ages 13-26
* Scheduled for a comprehensive physical exam with a provider who is participating in the trial
* English speaking

Exclusion criteria for youth:

* Caregivers of youth ages 13-17 unable to provide informed consent or are not English speaking
* Cognitive limitation or intellectual disability that in the opinion of their provider would not
* Any medical/psychiatric condition that causes acute distress and requires emergency evaluation
* Under legal custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF)

Where this trial is running

Boston, Massachusetts

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 OverdoseBrief overdose preventionNaloxoneYouth patientsHealth care providersPrimary care
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.