RecruitingNot Applicable

Developing and Testing Drone-Delivered AEDs for Cardiac Arrests In Rural America

United States128 participantsStarted 2025-09-08

Plain-language summary

The overall goal of this project is to design, develop, and pilot test an emergency healthcare drone delivery system suitable for rural communities that can deliver AEDs to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) locations more rapidly than can be achieved with current first responder and EMS systems. The goal is to determine whether this method of AED delivery can be achieved rapidly enough to justify a future clinical trial directly testing its ability to improve OHCA survival.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Patients 18 years of age or older in the CARES registry who suffer cardiac arrest before arrival of a 911-responder of non-traumatic cause, including patients who receive an AED shock by a bystander prior to the arrival of 911 responders. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients in the CARES registry who have a traumatic cause of cardiac arrest.

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Time interval difference between AED arrival of drones versus law/fire/EMS arrival to the OCHA scene

Timeframe: 6 months (Aim 3a)

Time interval difference between AED arrival of drones versus law/fire/EMS arrival to the OCHA scene

Timeframe: 15 months (Aim 3c)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06229418

SponsorDuke University

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2027-03-31

Contact for this trial

Leo Brothers, MPH

919-641-3555 joseph.l.brothers@duke.edu

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Cardiac Arrest trials