What the trial was testing
The EMPOWER-ED enrolled 170 patients with anxiety. The study was sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.
Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.
What the results showed
People using the online program were over 5 times more likely to stop benzodiazepines completely.
JAMA network open · 2026 · NCT04572750
These findings — that using the online self-help program made patients five times more likely to quit benzodiazepines — were published in the JAMA network open and represent the headline result of the study.
Researchers tracked outcomes across 170 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.
What this means for patients
For patients with anxiety, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.
What you can do now
This was a large-scale study showing that a self-help digital program can help people safely stop benzodiazepines. The EMPOWER program is publicly available. If you've been taking benzodiazepines long-term and want to stop, talk to your doctor about tapering options and whether this type of program might work for you.
Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.
Open anxiety trials
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Triage Survey for Psychiatry Research Eligibility
TRIAGE-Psych is a survey study designed to assess potential participants' eligibility to screen for industry-sponsored psychiatry clinical trials.