Evaluation of Clinical Decision Support in Opioid Tapering (NCT06527079) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
Evaluation of Clinical Decision Support in Opioid Tapering
200,000 participantsStarted 2026-08
Plain-language summary
The 2022 Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) clinical practice guideline for prescribing opioids for pain recommends that when tapering a patient's opioid dose, doses should be decreased at a slow rate to reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms, overdose, and to promote tolerance of the tapering. This project will evaluate a clinical decision support (CDS) tool in the form of a clinical care pathway that gives providers information, recommendations, and educational material on strategies for opioid tapering. Primary care providers will be randomized at the clinic location to a control arm or intervention arm. The control arm will have the clinical care pathway available, but will not be reminded of the pathway when tapering a patient. The intervention arm will receive a nudge when prescribing a tapering opioid strategy to a patient to use the clinical care pathway. The rate of opioid tapering in line with CDC guidelines will be examined as well as long-term patient outcomes of opioid overdose or poisoning using existing patient health records. The study period will be approximately 18 months.
Who can participate
Age range
12 Years – 89 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: Primary care patients being tapered from an opioid. Tapering patients:
* Have an active opioid prescription for more than 3 months and
* Prescribed more than 90 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) per day or
* Co-prescribed an opioid and benzodiazepine or
* Received a reduction in opioid dosage by more than 5% MME per day
Exclusion Criteria:
* Patients \<12 and \>89
* Patients with active cancer diagnosis in last 1 year
* Patients with hospice care/palliative care order
* Patients with sickle cell disease diagnosis
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
1
Percentage of encounters tapering within CDC guidelines