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What is Cocaine Use Disorder?
Cocaine is a stimulant that floods the brain with dopamine, the chemical tied to reward and motivation. Cocaine use disorder is the medical term for a pattern of use that a person cannot reliably control and that harms their health, relationships, or work. It is diagnosed on a scale from mild to severe based on how many of eleven criteria a person meets, such as using more than intended, strong craving, and continuing despite problems.
Why is there no medicine for Cocaine Use Disorder?
Cocaine's effect on dopamine is fast and direct, and dozens of candidates that looked promising in animals, from antidepressants to vaccines, have not worked reliably in people. What does work is contingency management, a structured program that gives small rewards for confirmed periods without use; it is the most effective treatment identified so far and is now being expanded in public programs. Cognitive behavioral therapy also helps. The other reason research is urgent is fentanyl: about 7 in 10 stimulant involved overdose deaths in 2023 also involved illegally made fentanyl, often without the person knowing, which has made cocaine use far more dangerous than a decade ago. Stimulant involved deaths began falling in 2024 alongside opioid deaths, but remain far above the levels of 2015. People with cocaine use disorder also often live with depression, anxiety, ADHD, or another substance use disorder, and many current studies address those together. Related pages: opioid use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and substance use studies.
Types of cocaine use disorder clinical trials
Medication trials. Because nothing is approved, this is where the field's hope sits. Studies test repurposed medicines, including drugs approved for other conditions such as GLP-1 medicines, prescription stimulants, and antidepressant combinations, as well as new compounds, usually alongside counseling.
Behavioral treatment trials. Contingency management delivered through apps and in community clinics, cognitive behavioral therapy, and studies of how to keep people engaged in treatment longer.
Brain stimulation studies. Transcranial magnetic stimulation and related approaches aimed at reducing craving, usually as an add on to standard care.
Studies in people using more than one substance. Cocaine is often used with opioids or alcohol. Trials test combined approaches, including care for people on medication for opioid use disorder who also use cocaine.
Overdose and harm prevention studies. Research on fentanyl test strips, naloxone distribution, and emergency department approaches for people who use stimulants.
Brain imaging and observational studies. Studies of how cocaine affects the brain and how it recovers, and registries following people over time. No treatment is given, and eligibility is often broad.
Who can participate in cocaine use disorder clinical trials?
Most studies enroll adults who meet criteria for cocaine use disorder and are seeking to reduce or stop use, confirmed by a screening interview and usually a urine test. Some want people already in treatment, others want people not yet in care. Studies often exclude certain medical conditions, especially heart disease, and certain medicines that interact with a study drug. Trials for people who also have opioid use disorder or a mental health condition are common. Because trials use randomization and screening, meeting the description does not mean a place is certain; the study team confirms eligibility and explains what each group receives. Eligibility always varies by study.
Is there compensation for taking part?
Some studies offer compensation for time and travel, and study related care is typically provided at no cost as part of a clinical trial. Compensation varies by trial and is always described during the informed consent process before you agree to anything.
Curious whether clinical trials pay participants? Here's how compensation actually works.
How to find and enroll in a cocaine use disorder clinical trial
Identify your study. Use the filters to search cocaine use disorder or stimulant use disorder. Titles usually say what is tested: a medicine, a behavioral program, brain stimulation, or a study of people who also use opioids or alcohol.
Check the setting. Some studies run in clinics with several weekly visits, others largely by phone or app. The details say how often you visit and whether urine testing is part of the study.
Complete the health profile. Click "Get started" to begin the 5-step application. Have three things ready: whether you are currently in any treatment, other health conditions and medicines, and whether you also use other substances. Your information is protected under research privacy rules.
Submit the application. A study coordinator reviews it and contacts you. Nothing is decided until you have gone through informed consent, participation is voluntary at every step, and joining does not require leaving your own doctor or program.