In Hong Kong, less than 5% of stimulants abusers were reported to misuse these substances via
injection. Also, it is well known that patients with co-morbid substance abuse/dependence and
psychosis or schizophrenia-related disorders are prone to earlier treatment discontinuation
and high oral medication non-adherence, resulting in poorer overall outcomes. With the recent
availabilities of the 4-weekly long-acting injectable form of aripiprazole, and the 4-weekly
and the 3-monthly long-acting injectable form of paliperidone palmitate, on the background of
the surging phenomenon of stimulant misuses in Hong Kong, it is a timely opportunity to
conduct an early pharmacotherapy intervention study to offer an evidence-based strategy
aiming to stop individuals with substance use disorders with psychosis to develop into a more
chronic disabling dependence or co-morbid state.
Phase:
Phase 2/Phase 3
Details
Lead Sponsor:
The University of Hong Kong
Collaborators:
North District Hospital Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong
Treatments:
Aripiprazole Central Nervous System Stimulants Paliperidone Palmitate