TIES Feasibility Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Telephone delivered Incentives for Encouraging adherence to Supervised methadone consumption: a feasibility study for a RCT of clinical and cost effectiveness (TIES).
IRAS ID
249936
Contact name
Nicola Metrebian
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 31 days
Research summary
Most people in treatment for their addiction to heroin are prescribed methadone. However, individuals often fail to attend the pharmacy to take their methadone. Each missed dose is of concern as the patient will start to experience opiate withdrawal and cravings and will be more likely to use heroin. There is an urgent need to develop effective interventions for medication adherence. Research suggests that incentive-based medication adherence interventions may be very effective. \n\nThe study aims to test the feasibility of conducting a future confirmatory trial evaluating the clinical and cost effectiveness of using telephone delivered incentives (praise and modest financial rewards) to encourage adherence with supervised consumption of methadone in community pharmacies. \n\nThis study will use a cluster randomised controlled design. Three drug services (each with two community pharmacies supervising methadone consumption to 20 individuals) will be recruited and randomly allocated to receive i) telephone text message incentives, ii) telephone text message reminders or iii) no text message incentives or reminders. Acceptability, recruitment, follow-up, and suitable measures of clinical and cost effectiveness will be assessed.\n\nThe PhD project linked to this study will use the 20 individuals receiving text message incentives and the staff members involved in the delivery of the intervention, to explore how contingency management might encourage behaviour change when delivered by telephones.\n
REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1722
Date of REC Opinion
12 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion