Pilot Trial of Bupropion Versus Placebo for Methamphetamine Abuse in Adolescents
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2011-12-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Dr Keith Heinzerling, who is a doctor at UCLA, is doing a research study with Behavioral
Health Services in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles to find out if a
medication called bupropion can help adolescents (age 14-21) reduce or stop using
methamphetamine. Bupropion is a drug that is already on the market, which means it has been
approved by the FDA, but it has not been approved to treat methamphetamine abuse. What the
study is trying to find out is if bupropion helps people to stop using methamphetamine. The
study lasts up to 14 weeks and involves visits to the BHS clinic in Lincoln Heights twice a
week. The first two weeks involve completion of questionnaires and assessments, including a
physical exam, a blood test, EKG (a test that checks for problems with the electrical
activity of a person's heart), and a psychological interview, to see if you are eligible for
the study. If you are eligible, then you will be assigned by chance to take either the
bupropion pills or placebo pills, which are pills that look the same, but contain no
medication. This type of study is called a "double blind study" because neither you nor any
of the study staff will know which medication you are taking. During the 8 weeks of taking
the pills, you'll visit the clinic to complete additional questionnaires and assessments, to
provide urine samples for testing for methamphetamine, and for once a week drug abuse
counseling. At the end of your treatment, you'll have another physical exam including blood
tests and the same test on your heart and then we'll ask you to come to the clinic once a
week for four weeks for follow-up assessments. You'll be compensated for time spent doing
research activities and for returning empty medication packages. The total compensation
possible is $332 in gift cards for places such as Target, iTunes, groceries, and gas.
Your participation in the study is voluntary and deciding not to participate or deciding to
stop participating at any time during the study is okay.
Phase:
Phase 2
Details
Lead Sponsor:
University of California, Los Angeles
Collaborators:
Behavioral Health Services, Inc. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)