Substance use disorder affects more than 40 million Americans. Treatment has historically relied on counseling and a small set of medications for opioid, alcohol, and nicotine dependence. Recent research is expanding medication options, testing new delivery methods, and studying how brain circuits change with addiction and recovery.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing long-acting injectable medications that reduce relapse, vaccines that block drug effects, drugs that reduce cravings for stimulants like cocaine and methamphetamine, and digital therapeutics that extend treatment access. Researchers are also studying medications that treat both addiction and co-occurring mental health conditions, which affect most people seeking addiction treatment.
Stimulant use treatments
No FDA-approved medications exist for cocaine or methamphetamine use disorder. Trials are testing drugs that reduce cravings and withdrawal, including medications already approved for other conditions.
Long-acting formulations
Monthly and longer-acting versions of buprenorphine and naltrexone aim to remove daily dosing barriers. Extended-release implants and injections are being tested to improve treatment retention.
Dual-diagnosis treatments
Many people with substance use disorder also have depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Trials are testing whether treating both conditions simultaneously with single medications improves outcomes.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on which substance, how long and how heavily used, whether currently using or in early recovery, and presence of other medical or mental health conditions.
What types of trials are currently open
- Medication trials — Testing new drugs or new formulations of existing medications to reduce cravings, prevent relapse, or ease withdrawal symptoms.
- Behavioral intervention trials — Testing counseling approaches, contingency management programs, and digital apps that support recovery alongside or instead of medication.
- Combination treatment trials — Testing medication plus counseling or multiple medications together to see if combined approaches work better than single treatments.
- Prevention trials — Testing interventions in people at high risk, such as those prescribed opioids after surgery or individuals with family history of addiction.
- Long-term follow-up studies — Following people in recovery to understand what factors predict lasting sobriety and what triggers relapse.
Recently added Substance Use Disorder trials
Emotional Reactivity in Severe Alcohol Use Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder Using Eye-tracking, Physiological, and Interoceptive Measures (ERAD)
The goal of this observational study is to investigate emotional recognition and emotional reactivity in individuals with severe Alcohol Use Disorder (sAUD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), comorbid sAUD and depressive symptoms (sAUD+DS), and healthy controls. The main questions this study aims to answer are: * Do individuals with sAUD, MDD, sAUD+DS, and healthy controls exhibit different patterns of emotional recognition and emotional reactivity in response to dynamic emotional stimuli? * How are emotional recognition and emotional reactivity related to each other? * How are these emotional processes associated with psycho-affective, socio-emotional, stress-related, interoceptive, and disorder-specific factors? * Do emotional recognition and emotional reactivity predict clinical outcomes at 6- and 12-month follow-up assessments? Participants will: * Complete two experimental sessions involving dynamic emotional facial expression and emotional scene tasks * Provide emotion identification, subjective emotional ratings (type, intensity, and valence), and and self-reported bodily sensations using an emotional body map (InteroMap) * Undergo eye-tracking, pupillometry, electrodermal activity, and cardiac activity recordings during emotional tasks * Complete questionnaires assessing psycho-affective, socio-emotional, stress-related, and disorder-specific factors * Provide saliva and hair samples for cortisol assessment * Participate in follow-up clinical assessments at 6 and 12 months Researchers will compare emotional recognition and emotional reactivity profiles across the sAUD, MDD, sAUD+DS, and healthy control groups, and evaluate their predictive value for future clinical outcomes.
Rehabilitation Program for People With Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiopulmonary Conditions
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of increasing control over stimulant use and physical health through incentivized rehabilitation (INSPIRE). INSPIRE is a 12-week remotely-delivered collaborative care intervention for rural patients with Methamphetamine-Associated Heart Failure (Me-HF) or Methamphetamine-Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (Me-PAH) featuring smartphone-based contingency management incentivizing participation in remote synchronous rehabilitation.
Find Substance Use Disorder trials matched specifically to you
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll show you trials that fit your situation.