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Does Altering Narcotic Prescription Methods Affect Opioid Distribution Following Select Upper Extremity Surgeries?
NCT03570320 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
It has been well established that prescription opioid misuse and prescription opioid abuse is on the rise. In the late 1990's and early 2000's, there was a large push to make "pain" the fifth vital sign. At the same time, direct-to-consumer advertising and changes in national guidelines laid the groundwork for a decade that would ultimately see the amount of narcotic prescriptions in the United States more than double, and the number of prescription-opioid related deaths more than quadruple. Recently, providers have started to question their own role in this epidemic. In the field of orthopedics in particular, considerable emphasis is now being placed on developing a better understanding of patients postoperative pain requirements, and amending practices to continue to meet those requirements while at the same time responsibly limiting the amount of narcotics that are prescribed. The goal of this project is to further this line of research by testing an opioid prescription model that is designed to easily reconcile clinical practices for prescribing pain medications with individual patient needs. The investigators propose to evaluate a new method for prescribing opioid pain medications that consists of giving patients smaller amounts of narcotics with easier access to refills. It is hypothesized that in this system, patients will ultimately obtain fewer pills from the pharmacy, and will have fewer pills left over following their post-operative recovery. To test this hypothesis, a randomized controlled trial has been designed wherein patients will be given either one single prescription for opioid medications (control group, representing current practice) or multiple small prescriptions for opioid medications that they may fill on an as-needed basis (intervention group). The total amount of narcotics prescribed to both groups will be the same; only the number of prescriptions and the size of each prescription will be altered. Unused narcotic medications are ripe f
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- OTHER Modification of opioid prescription method
Study Locations (1)
Iowa
- University of Iowa — Iowa City
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 48 participants |
| Start Date | 2018-09-04 |
| Est. Completion | 2020-02-29 |
| Phase | NA |
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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT03570320
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03570320 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 48 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is John Yanik, which has 1 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 1 condition, with Opioid Use appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 1 intervention — of which Modification of opioid prescription method is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT03570320 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include Iowa. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT03570320 about?
NCT03570320 is a clinical study titled "Does Altering Narcotic Prescription Methods Affect Opioid Distribution Following Select Upper Extremity Surgeries?". It has been well established that prescription opioid misuse and prescription opioid abuse is on the rise. In the late 1990's and early 2000's, there was a large push to make "pain" the fifth vital sign. At the same time, direct-to-consumer advertising and changes in national guidelines laid the gro...
What is the current status of trial NCT03570320?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 48 participants. The study started on 2018-09-04. Estimated completion is 2020-02-29.
What conditions does trial NCT03570320 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Opioid Use. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03570320?
The interventions under investigation include: Modification of opioid prescription method (OTHER). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03570320?
This trial is sponsored by John Yanik, which has 1 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT03570320 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across Iowa. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
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