Syringe-service telemedicine plus social-network HIV prevention program
Official title: Syringe Service Based Telemedicine and Social Network Driven HIV Prevention Service Implementation
Run by Johns Hopkins University · NCT06103370 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program will test whether training people who inject drugs to recruit and educate their peers through syringe service telemedicine and social networks increases HIV testing and use of prevention and treatment services in Maryland.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 360 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Johns Hopkins University Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Baltimore, Maryland and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 28, 2025 |
| Main results expected | November 2028 |
| Study ends | November 2028 |
| Registry record updated | November 10, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06103370 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults (18+) who have injected drugs within the past month, have used a participating syringe service program in the past three months, and are willing and able to be trained and to recruit at least one network member.
✕Probably not a fit
People who are not connected to participating syringe service programs, are unable to consent or to recruit network members, or who do not speak English are unlikely to benefit from this program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The project recruits people who inject drugs (indexes) from syringe service programs in two Maryland counties and asks them to recruit drug-use network members using a coupon-based method. When an index successfully enrolls network members, the index-network cluster is randomized to either a peer-educator training intervention with weekly booster groups or an equal-attention control arm. Primary and secondary outcomes include HIV testing (primary), PrEP knowledge and uptake, linkage to HIV care, and initiation of medication for opioid use disorder. Implementation uses telemedicine integrated at SSP sites and community partner locations to deliver prevention services and follow-up.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could increase HIV testing and linkage to PrEP, HIV treatment, and opioid use disorder medications among people who inject drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Peer-driven and social-network interventions have shown promise for increasing HIV testing and prevention uptake among people who inject drugs and other key populations, though combining syringe-service telemedicine with network-driven recruitment is relatively novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Inclusion criteria for index participants: * Aged 18 or older * Self-reported injection drug use in the prior month * Accessed services at the SSP in the prior 3 months * Willing to undergo training and attend weekly booster group sessions * Able to recruit at least 1 drug use Network Member (NM) into study * Willing to talk with peers about PWID topics such as HIV prevention and care * Not previously enrolled in the study as index or NM * English-speaking Inclusion criteria for network member participants: * Aged 18 or older * Self-reported injection drug use in the prior month * Have a valid coupon or able to recall the 3-digit ID number * Not previously enrolled in the study as index or NM * English-speaking Exclusion criteria: • Individuals lacking the capacity to consent
Where it's running
-
Frederick County Health Department, Street Safe Program
Frederick, Maryland, United States Recruiting -
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Baltimore, Maryland, United States Not yet recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia, MBBS, MPH — Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia, MBBS, MPH
- Email: ofalade1@jhmi.edu
- Phone: 410-550-6234
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Brain imaging to predict teens' response to cannabis treatment
This project will test whether teens' brain activity during a learning task can predict how well 14–17-year-olds do in a 10-week virtual reward program to reduce cannabis use.
-
Kratom and other substances safety in people with past opioid use
This study tests kratom at different doses against a placebo and oxycodone to see how people with a history of opioid use tolerate and respond to them.
-
ECCCLORE group program for people with addiction and trauma-related PTSD
This program will try a group-based ECCCLORE therapy to see if it helps people who have addiction and PTSD or complex PTSD reduce substance use and impulsive or hostile behaviors.
-
Community-based program for youth with opioid use disorder
This study is testing a community program that helps young people with opioid use disorder get better treatment and support to see if it keeps them engaged in recovery and reduces overdoses.
-
Vocal Signals of Craving in Addiction
Researchers will see if voice patterns can signal craving in adults with addictions by having them perform voice tasks and report their cravings in real time.
-
Camino HIV Prevention and Care Study
This study tests a combined legal and peer-support program to help Latin American adults in DC and the Bay Area improve HIV testing, PrEP use, and care engagement.
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.