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Cannabis DependencePhase 2NCT01005810

A Trial of N-Acetylcysteine (an Over-the-Counter Medicine) in Adolescents Who Smoke Marijuana

A Phase 2 study testing N-Acetylcysteine and Contingency Management in people with Cannabis Dependence, run by Medical University of South Carolina at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study is investigating how N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), an over-the-counter medication, will reduce marijuana use when combined with Contingency Management, a behavioral treatment. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 13 to 21 years
Conditions the study is for
Cannabis Dependence
What is being tested?
N-Acetylcysteine and Contingency Management
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
116 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Sep 2009to Aug 2011
Phase
Phase 2
Are there results?
Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 13 to 21 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child, Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Age 13-21 years
  • Regular Marijuana smoker meeting DSM-IV criteria for cannabis dependence and seeking marijuana cessation treatment

Who cannot join

  • Allergy or intolerance to NAC
  • Pregnancy or lactation
  • Use of carbamazepine or nitroglycerine (or any other drug deemed to be hazardous if taken with NAC) within 14 days of study participation
  • Current enrollment in treatment for cannabis dependence
  • Current substance dependence, other than cannabis or nicotine
  • Significant medical or psychiatric illness that may place the participant at increased risk in the judgement of the study physician

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • Medical University of South Carolina

    Charleston, South Carolina, 29403

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: A Controlled Trial of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) in Cannabis Dependent Adolescents

This study is investigating how N-Acetylcysteine (NAC), an over-the-counter medication, will reduce marijuana use when combined with Contingency Management, a behavioral treatment. It is hypothesized that marijuana dependent adolescents who are treated with NAC will use less marijuana during treatment when compared to adolescents who receive a placebo.

Read the detailed description

This protocol involves investigation of N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) as a pharmacological treatment for cannabis dependence in adolescents. While recent advances have been made in psychosocial treatments for cannabis dependent adolescents, minimal work has been done to investigate the potential adjunctive role for pharmacotherapy in treatment. NAC is an inexpensive, over-the-counter agent with a favorable tolerability profile in adults and children, in common use since FDA approval in 1963. Preclinical and preliminary clinical research in adults suggests a role for NAC in addiction treatment via glutamate modulation.

Being tested
N-Acetylcysteine, placebo, Contingency Management
Medical subject headings
Marijuana Abuse

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • N-AcetylcysteineDrug

    Also called NAC

    1200 mg twice daily for 8 weeks

  • placeboDrug

    2 capsules twice daily for 8 weeks

  • Contingency ManagementBehavioural

    rewarding biologically verified marijuana abstinence during study visits, with an escalating reward schedule

Study groups in NCT01005810
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
N-AcetylcysteineActive comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: N-Acetylcysteine; Behavioral: Contingency Management
PlaceboPlacebo comparatorNot described
Receives: Drug: placebo; Behavioral: Contingency Management

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Percentage of Negative Urine Cannabinoid Tests During Treatment

    [Total number of negative urine tests per Group divided by the total number of urine tests per Group]*100

    Measured: weekly during treatment, for 8 weeks

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted2 Nov 2009 (estimated)
  2. Study startSep 2009
  3. Primary completionAug 2011
  4. Study completionAug 2011

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Investigator
Enrolment
116 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01005810
Sponsor's protocol ID
19152
Other IDs
R01DA026777
Status last verified
Nov 2018
First submitted
10 Sep 2009
Last updated
21 Nov 2018
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 2 study testing N-Acetylcysteine and Contingency Management in people with Cannabis Dependence, run by Medical University of South Carolina at 1 site in United States.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Nov 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this phase mean?

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 21 Nov 2018). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Percentage of Negative Urine Cannabinoid Tests During Treatment (time frame: weekly during treatment, for 8 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 21 Nov 2018.

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