Advancing Clinical Trials in Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal (ACT NOW)

The ACT NOW Program

Funded through The Helping to End Addiction Long-term® Initiative, or NIH HEAL Initiative®, the ACT NOW research program aims to test the ways babies with NOWS are assessed, treated, and followed long-term, so that the infants can get the best possible care.

The program is a collaborative effort of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Neonatal Research Network (NRN) and the ECHO IDeA States Pediatric Clinical Trials Network (ISPCTN).

The importance of NOWS research

When babies have in utero exposure to opioids, they may be born with a condition called Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS). The withdrawal symptoms for these babies can include tremors; excessive crying and irritability; and problems with sleeping, feeding, and breathing.

There are currently few standard, evidence-based treatments for NOWS, and doctors and researchers still don’t know much about the long-term effects of this condition.

ACT NOW Research Studies

ECHO researchers are part of one current ACT NOW studies and participated in another two that are complete. These studies aim to determine the best ways for hospitals to care for babies with NOWS.

SPeCTr is participating in/has participated in all three.

Upcoming Studies

Talk With Me Baby

Our very own Dr. Brenda Salley is the PI of this ECHO ISPCTN Junior Investigator Pilot study. We anticipate a January 2025 start. Check back for more information.

Digital PR