HIV PreventionNCT07625917
Feasibility of Internet-based HIV Prevention Research
A study testing Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV tests in people with HIV Prevention and Injection Drug Use, run by Montefiore Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The study will use social media to recruit a diverse sample of people who self-report injecting drugs, assessing the feasibility of online assessments and participants' ability to perform at-home self-administered HIV testing. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- HIV Prevention, Injection Drug Use
- What is being tested?
- Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV tests
- Type of treatment
- Pill or oral medicine
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 500 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2025to 29 May 2028
- 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
- 18 years or older
- US residency
- English or Spanish fluency
- injection drug use (self-report, past 30 days)
- basic reading comprehension
Who cannot join
- HIV status known to be positive
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Montefiore Medical Center
The Bronx, New York, 10467
Guillermo Sanchez-Fat, MD, 347-514-1513, guillermo.sanchezfat@einsteinmed.edu
Aaron Fox, MD, 718-920-7173, adfox@montefiore.org
About this study
The study will use social media to recruit a diverse sample of people who self-report injecting drugs, assessing the feasibility of online assessments and participants' ability to perform at-home self-administered HIV testing. Participants will complete online questionnaires at baseline and will be mailed HIV testing kits that they will self-administer and mail to a central laboratory. Investigators will track completion of questionnaires and whether at-home self-administered HIV tests were completed and sent to the laboratory.
Read the detailed description
In the past decade, injection drug use (IDU) has been linked to rural and urban HIV outbreaks, increased hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission, and skyrocketing overdose rates in the US. Internet-based mail delivery public health programs mail naloxone or other HIV prevention supplies where allowed by law. Recruiting people who inject drugs (PWID) for research has traditionally been done in person, and the feasibility of collecting data from those who are recruited via the internet is unknown. Thus, the study's objectives are to: (1) recruit a representative sample of people who inject drugs for internet-based HIV prevention research; and (2) test the feasibility of at-home HIV testing for people who inject drugs.
This study will use social media to recruit 500 PWID. Investigators will assess the feasibility of online assessments and PWID's ability to perform at-home self-administered HIV testing. Participants will complete online questionnaires at baseline and investigators will mail participants HIV testing kits that they will self-administer and mail to a central laboratory. No other supplies will be mailed to participants.
- Recruitment will occur through with study advertisements on social media platforms and websites (i.e., Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
- Participants who click on an advertisement or study link will be taken to a screening questionnaire and informed consent page programmed into Qualtrics.
- To help minimize potentially fraudulent participants, the program will use cookies to block multiple submissions from a given device. Study staff will also manually review all surveys flagged for suspicious responses using a pre- determined process, such as comparing responses from the same Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and examining those from proxy-IP addresses.
- Participants who complete informed consent and the baseline questionnaire will provide an e-mail address (to receive compensation) and a physical address where an HIV testing kit could be mailed.
- The research team will mail participants an OraSure HIV-1 Oral Specimen Collection Device. A self-addressed and stamped envelope will be included with the collection kit. Participants will follow enclosed directions to collect oral-fluid samples and mail them to the study laboratory for analysis. Envelopes and samples will only be marked with a bar code and not with any other personal identifiers (e.g., name or address).
- Research staff will follow a defined protocol to deliver any positive HIV tests results.
- Conditions
- HIV Prevention, Injection Drug Use
- Being tested
- Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV tests
- Keywords
- HIV testing
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV testsDiagnostic test
Investigators will mail participants an OraSure HIV-1 Oral Specimen Collection Device. The kit will include a self-addressed and stamped envelope with the collection device. Participants will follow enclosed directions to collect oral-fluid samples and mail them to the study laboratory for analysis. Envelopes and samples will only be marked with a bar code and not with any other personal identifiers (e.g., name or address).
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| At-home self-administered HIV testing | Experimental | All participants will be mailed at-home self-administered HIV testing kits Receives: Diagnostic Test: Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV tests |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
HIV test completion
This outcome will be the percentage of enrolled participants that have valid HIV testing results. The numerator will be the number of HIV test kits collected properly and sent to the laboratory for testing successfully. The denominator will be the total number of enrolled participants.
Measured: 12 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
Screening feasibility
This outcome will measure the percentage of potential participants who complete enrollment. The numerator will be the number of participants that complete screening questionnaires and provide informed consent. The denominator will be the total number of potential participants that click on study advertisement or link to the study.
Measured: Baseline
Feasibility of study procedures
This outcome will be the percentage of enrolled participants that complete baseline questionnaires and mail in HIV testing kits to the laboratory. The numerator will be the number of HIV test kits received at the laboratory and the denominator will be the total number of enrolled participants.
Measured: 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Jun 2026
- Study start1 Aug 2025
- Primary completion29 May 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion29 May 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for HIV PreventionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Screening
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Montefiore Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Aaron Fox, Principal investigator, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07625917
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2022-14407
- Other IDs
- K24DA057873
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 29 May 2026
- Last updated
- 4 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Data collected on injection drug use could include self-disclosure of illegal activity. Participant information will be kept confidential to protect privacy.
Publications
Hayes BT, Favaro J, Davis CS, Gonsalves GS, Beletsky L, Vlahov D, Heimer R, Fox AD. Harm Reduction, By Mail: the Next Step in Promoting the Health of People Who Use Drugs. J Urban Health. 2021 Aug;98(4):532-537. doi: 10.1007/s11524-021-00534-1. Epub 2021 Mar 12. No abstract available.
PubMed 33710493Hayes BT, Favaro J, Coello D, Behrends CN, Jakubowski A, Fox AD. Participants of a mail delivery syringe services program are underserved by other safe sources for sterile injection supplies. Int J Drug Policy. 2022 Jan;99:103474. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103474. Epub 2021 Oct 5.
PubMed 34619446D'Angelo AB, Morrison CA, Lopez-Rios J, MacCrate CJ, Pantalone DW, Stief M, Grov C. Experiences Receiving HIV-Positive Results by Phone: Acceptability and Implications for Clinical and Behavioral Research. AIDS Behav. 2021 Mar;25(3):709-720. doi: 10.1007/s10461-020-03027-5.
PubMed 32915328
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Feasibility of Internet-based HIV Prevention Research
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07625917
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2022-14407
- Conditions
- HIV Prevention, Injection Drug Use
- Keywords
- HIV testing
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 500 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Montefiore Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
- Study start
- 1 Aug 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 29 May 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 29 May 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 4 Jun 2026 (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 study will use social media to recruit a diverse sample of people who self-report injecting drugs, assessing the feasibility of online assessments and participants' ability to perform at-home self-administered HIV testing. Participants will complete online questionnaires at baseline and will be mailed HIV testing kits that they will self-administer and mail to a central laboratory. Investigators will track completion of questionnaires and whether at-home self-administered HIV tests were completed and sent to the laboratory.
Detailed description
In the past decade, injection drug use (IDU) has been linked to rural and urban HIV outbreaks, increased hepatitis C virus (HCV) transmission, and skyrocketing overdose rates in the US. Internet-based mail delivery public health programs mail naloxone or other HIV prevention supplies where allowed by law. Recruiting people who inject drugs (PWID) for research has traditionally been done in person, and the feasibility of collecting data from those who are recruited via the internet is unknown. Thus, the study's objectives are to: (1) recruit a representative sample of people who inject drugs for internet-based HIV prevention research; and (2) test the feasibility of at-home HIV testing for people who inject drugs.
This study will use social media to recruit 500 PWID. Investigators will assess the feasibility of online assessments and PWID's ability to perform at-home self-administered HIV testing. Participants will complete online questionnaires at baseline and investigators will mail participants HIV testing kits that they will self-administer and mail to a central laboratory. No other supplies will be mailed to participants.
- Recruitment will occur through with study advertisements on social media platforms and websites (i.e., Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram).
- Participants who click on an advertisement or study link will be taken to a screening questionnaire and informed consent page programmed into Qualtrics.
- To help minimize potentially fraudulent participants, the program will use cookies to block multiple submissions from a given device. Study staff will also manually review all surveys flagged for suspicious responses using a pre- determined process, such as comparing responses from the same Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, and examining those from proxy-IP addresses.
- Participants who complete informed consent and the baseline questionnaire will provide an e-mail address (to receive compensation) and a physical address where an HIV testing kit could be mailed.
- The research team will mail participants an OraSure HIV-1 Oral Specimen Collection Device. A self-addressed and stamped envelope will be included with the collection kit. Participants will follow enclosed directions to collect oral-fluid samples and mail them to the study laboratory for analysis. Envelopes and samples will only be marked with a bar code and not with any other personal identifiers (e.g., name or address).
- Research staff will follow a defined protocol to deliver any positive HIV tests results.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Screening
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| At-home self-administered HIV testing | Experimental | Diagnostic Test: Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV testsAll participants will be mailed at-home self-administered HIV testing kits |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- 18 years or older
- US residency
- English or Spanish fluency
- injection drug use (self-report, past 30 days)
- basic reading comprehension
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- HIV status known to be positive
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV testsInvestigators will mail participants an OraSure HIV-1 Oral Specimen Collection Device. The kit will include a self-addressed and stamped envelope with the collection device. Participants will follow enclosed directions to collect oral-fluid samples and mail them to the study laboratory for analysis. Envelopes and samples will only be marked with a bar code and not with any other personal identifiers (e.g., name or address). | Diagnostic test | At-home self-administered HIV testing |
Primary outcome
HIV test completion
Time frame: 12 months
This outcome will be the percentage of enrolled participants that have valid HIV testing results. The numerator will be the number of HIV test kits collected properly and sent to the laboratory for testing successfully. The denominator will be the total number of enrolled participants.
2 secondary outcomes
Screening feasibility
Time frame: Baseline
Feasibility of study procedures
Time frame: 12 months
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 4 Jun 2026.
- Background: PubMed 33710493Hayes BT, Favaro J, Davis CS, Gonsalves GS, Beletsky L, Vlahov D, Heimer R, Fox AD. Harm Reduction, By Mail: the Next Step in Promoting the Health of People Who Use Drugs. J Urban Health. 2021 Aug;98(4):532-537. doi: 10.1007/s11524-021-00534-1. Epub 2021 Mar 12. No abstract available.
- Background: PubMed 34619446Hayes BT, Favaro J, Coello D, Behrends CN, Jakubowski A, Fox AD. Participants of a mail delivery syringe services program are underserved by other safe sources for sterile injection supplies. Int J Drug Policy. 2022 Jan;99:103474. doi: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103474. Epub 2021 Oct 5.
- Background: PubMed 32915328D'Angelo AB, Morrison CA, Lopez-Rios J, MacCrate CJ, Pantalone DW, Stief M, Grov C. Experiences Receiving HIV-Positive Results by Phone: Acceptability and Implications for Clinical and Behavioral Research. AIDS Behav. 2021 Mar;25(3):709-720. doi: 10.1007/s10461-020-03027-5.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Data collected on injection drug use could include self-disclosure of illegal activity. Participant information will be kept confidential to protect privacy.
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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.
Aaron Fox principal investigator
Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Mail delivery of at-home self-administered HIV tests in people with HIV Prevention and Injection Drug Use, run by Montefiore Medical Center 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 1 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Jun 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?
Contact Guillermo Sanchez-Fat, MD (347-514-1513, guillermo.sanchezfat@einsteinmed.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
HIV test completion (time frame: 12 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07625917, which also lists 3 linked publications.
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 4 Jun 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.