UK Inject
Randomised controlled trial to assess the feasibility of the UK Inject trial: a trial comparing oral versus injectable methadone in the treatment of opoid dependent injecting drug users
Would it be possible to run a large trial to look at how to treat people who are dependent on opiates?
What was this study about?
This was a small trial to test the feasibility of running a full scale trial. The larger trial would aim to compare the outcomes and costs of offering and prescribing injectable methadone instead of oral methadone to drug abusers who injected opiates. This pilot aimed to find out whether such a trial would be possible.
What difference did this study make?
This pilot trial enabled the researchers to identify two main problems:
- Using the current protocol it would not be feasible to recruit people who had recently come for treatment for this kind of drug abuse
- The eligibility criteria for the pilot study excluded too many to make the trial practicable
The researchers also concluded that it should be possible to run a multi-centre trial involving the group of doctors and researchers who came together to run this pilot study and they proposed changes that should be considered to the study design.
The trial highlighted the challenges of conducting a trial in this population.
Type of study
Non-randomised trial
Contact details
Who funded the study?
The Department of Health.
When did it take place?
This trial recruited patients between 2000 and 2001.
Who was included?
19 people who were dependent on opiates took part in this trial.