Palliative CareNCT05466123
Bringing Life to Those Near Death
A study testing Virtual Reality in people with Palliative Care, run by Mayo Clinic at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to assess whether virtual reality technology can reduce anxiety, depression, and emotional distress screening scores in palliative care patients. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Palliative Care
- What is being tested?
- Virtual Reality
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 20 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 9 Nov 2023to Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- A terminal or end-stage condition with an expected prognosis of a year or less.
- An established palliative care patient.
- English-speaking.
- Able to wear virtual reality equipment (goggles, etc.).
- Subject or Caregiver able to provide consent.
Who cannot join
- Younger than 18 years of age.
- Lack of a prognosis of approximately 1 year or less.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Bringing Life to Those Near Death: Assessing the Use of Virtual Reality Technology in Palliative Care
The purpose of this study is to assess whether virtual reality technology can reduce anxiety, depression, and emotional distress screening scores in palliative care patients.
- Conditions
- Palliative Care
- Being tested
- Virtual Reality
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual RealityBehavioural
Simulated travel destination or activity of the participants choosing that would otherwise be inaccessible
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality intervention in palliative care patients | Experimental | Palliative care patients with a limited life expectancy will participate in a virtual reality experience for 10-30 minutes Receives: Behavioral: Virtual Reality |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in anxiety
Measured using the self-reported Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire. Subjects rank how often they have been bother by specific problems within the last 2 weeks on a scale of 0 being not at all and 3 being nearly every day. Total scores range from 0-20, with higher scores indicating more anxiety severity.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention approximately 30 minutes
Change in emotional distress
Measured using the self-reported Distress from Death and Dying Survey. Subjects rank their distress on a scale or 0-10, 0 being no distress at all, and 10 being completely distressed. Total scores range from 0-130, with higher scores indicating more distress severity.
Measured: Baseline, post-intervention approximately 30 minutes
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted20 Jul 2022
- Study start9 Nov 2023
- Primary completionDec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionDec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Palliative CareStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Mayo ClinicThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Mayo Clinic
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Chimere E. Bruning, Mayo Clinic
- Investigators
- Chimere Bruning, PA-C, Principal investigator, Mayo Clinic
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05466123
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 21-007346
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 15 Jul 2022
- Last updated
- 7 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Bringing Life to Those Near Death: Assessing the Use of Virtual Reality Technology in Palliative Care
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05466123
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 21-007346
- Conditions
- Palliative Care
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 20 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Mayo ClinicUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 9 Nov 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 20 Jul 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is to assess whether virtual reality technology can reduce anxiety, depression, and emotional distress screening scores in palliative care patients.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality intervention in palliative care patients | Experimental | Behavioral: Virtual RealityPalliative care patients with a limited life expectancy will participate in a virtual reality experience for 10-30 minutes |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- A terminal or end-stage condition with an expected prognosis of a year or less.
- An established palliative care patient.
- English-speaking.
- Able to wear virtual reality equipment (goggles, etc.).
- Subject or Caregiver able to provide consent.
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Younger than 18 years of age.
- Lack of a prognosis of approximately 1 year or less.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual RealitySimulated travel destination or activity of the participants choosing that would otherwise be inaccessible | Behavioural | Virtual reality intervention in palliative care patients |
Primary outcome
Change in anxiety
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention approximately 30 minutes
Measured using the self-reported Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) questionnaire. Subjects rank how often they have been bother by specific problems within the last 2 weeks on a scale of 0 being not at all and 3 being nearly every day. Total scores range from 0-20, with higher scores indicating more anxiety severity.
Change in emotional distress
Time frame: Baseline, post-intervention approximately 30 minutes
Measured using the self-reported Distress from Death and Dying Survey. Subjects rank their distress on a scale or 0-10, 0 being no distress at all, and 10 being completely distressed. Total scores range from 0-130, with higher scores indicating more distress severity.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Chimere Bruning, PA-C principal investigator
Mayo Clinic
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual Reality in people with Palliative Care, run by Mayo Clinic at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in anxiety (time frame: Baseline, post-intervention approximately 30 minutes). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Jul 2026.