Trial of Naltrexone/Bupropion for the Treatment of Methamphetamine Use Disorder
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What is methamphetamine use disorder?
Methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that causes a much larger and longer release of dopamine than cocaine, with effects lasting many hours. Methamphetamine use disorder is the medical term for a pattern of use a person cannot reliably control that harms their health or life, diagnosed as mild, moderate, or severe based on defined criteria. Long term use affects the heart, teeth, skin, sleep, and mental health, and can cause paranoia and psychosis that usually improve with time away from the drug.
There is no medicine to prescribe, and not for lack of trying. Dozens of candidates have failed in trials. Methamphetamine use often overlaps with opioid use disorder, HIV, hepatitis C, and conditions like depression or PTSD, and many current studies address these together. It also complicates treatment for opioid use disorder, because people who use both are less likely to stay on medication for opioids, which is itself an active research question.
Types of methamphetamine use disorder clinical trials
Medication trials. The naltrexone and bupropion combination in larger studies, repurposed medicines such as prescription stimulants, antidepressants, and anti inflammatory drugs, and new compounds. Most are combined with counseling.
Behavioral treatment trials. Contingency management through apps and community programs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and exercise based programs, which have shown promise for mood and craving.
Brain stimulation studies. Transcranial magnetic stimulation and related techniques aimed at craving and the attention problems that make early recovery hard.
Studies in people also treated for opioid use disorder. Because so many people use both, trials test how to support people on buprenorphine or methadone who also use methamphetamine.
Studies in specific groups. Men who have sex with men, people living with HIV, pregnant people, rural communities, and people leaving incarceration each have dedicated research, because the disorder affects these groups differently and standard approaches were mostly tested elsewhere.
Imaging and observational studies. How methamphetamine changes the brain and how much recovers with abstinence, plus registries following people over time. No treatment is given, and eligibility is often broad.
Is Adderall the same as meth?
No, though they are chemically related. Adderall is a prescription amphetamine, made and dosed under medical supervision for ADHD. Methamphetamine is a different molecule that enters the brain faster and more strongly, and the illicit form is made without any quality control and is often mixed with other drugs. Prescription stimulants taken as prescribed rarely cause overdose; illicit methamphetamine does.
Who can participate in methamphetamine use disorder clinical trials?
Most studies enroll adults who meet criteria for methamphetamine use disorder and want to reduce or stop use, confirmed at screening, usually with a urine test. Some want people already in treatment, others people not yet in care, and many specifically welcome people who also have opioid use disorder or a mental health condition. Medication trials often exclude uncontrolled heart disease, pregnancy, or medicines that interact with the study drug; behavioral and observational studies tend to have wider doors. 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 methamphetamine use disorder clinical trial
Identify your study. Use the filters to search methamphetamine or stimulant use disorder. Titles usually say what is tested: a medicine, a behavioral program, brain stimulation, or a study for a specific group such as people also on treatment for opioid use disorder.
Check the setting. Some studies require weekly clinic visits with urine testing; others run largely through an app or by phone. The details say how often you visit and for how long.
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.