| | The Harness Study is exploring the potential of an herbal supplement called Kudzu, to reduce alcohol use. This supplement is not FDA-approved for heavy drinking. Previous research studies have observed that Kudzu may cause people to feel the effects of alcohol sooner, and drink less. Therefore, reducing the potential negative consequences of heavy alcohol consumption. |
This study follows the standard research design of a double blind and a randomized trial, which means if you are eligible for this study and choose to participate, it’s a 50/50 chance of you receiving Kudzu or a placebo (inactive substance). Neither you, nor any member of our research staff will know which arm you are in until the entire study is fully enrolled and completed. Your study medication would be taken on an as-needed basis over 3 months (12 weeks), during periods when you anticipate drinking or crave alcohol. The entire study, including the screening period would last 3 and a half months with 2 follow-up visits (one follow-up a month after and another 3 months after). No study medication will be given until your 3rd visit or after your 12th visit. |
Some visits can be as short as 30 minutes and longer visits could last up to 3 hours. You will also complete daily surveys on your phone during the 3-month treatment period of the study asking you if and when you took your study medication. You will be paid between $10 to $50 dollars per visit $1 per daily survey, which means if you attend all the study visits and complete all the procedures, you would receive $444 over the course of the study. |
The next step is to go through a series of questions to see if you are eligible to continue the screening process. Please know that some of the screening questions are personal in nature; they are in regards to your medical history, sexual activity, substance use, and experiences with violence as they may or may not relate to alcohol use. Your involvement is voluntary, your responses will be kept private, and you can refuse to answer a question or stop at any time. To ensure your privacy, your answers will be connected to a randomly-assigned number kept separate from your name. Before you proceed, please make sure you are in a private and safe space. |
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