Wollongong is one of four locations across Australia selected to take part in a world-first drug trial, to see if a common anti-depressant can help ice addicts stop using crystal methamphetamine.
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Led by researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at the University of NSW the "Tina Trial" will investigate if the drug mirtazapine can help people to stop using ice.
Currently there are no medications available to treat methamphetamine dependence.
The trial is the largest of its kind ever attempted in Australia, and is being conducted at clinics in Wollongong, Geelong, Brisbane and Perth.
The University of Wollongong's Professor Peter Kelly, who will lead the trial locally alongside the Illawarra Shoalhaven Drug and Alcohol Service, said the region had been selected for its research links and because there was a known ice problem.
"We know that there's methamphetamine problems in this region," he said.
"We've just kicked off the trial this year and started recruiting people locally. It's early days and we're looking for people to take part in the trial who might be using methamphetamine regularly."
Prof Kelly said it was hoped there would be wide-ranging benefits for ice users who take part.
"Mirtazapine which has been used pretty regularly in Australia for depression, and there's been a couple of small studies in the US where it looks promising for people using methamphetamine," he said.
"There were significant reductions in people's methamphetamine use, as well as improvement in their sleep and in their mental health.
"This trial will be the definitive study to demonstrate if it is effective."
To get involved, users are encouraged to get in touch with the Illawarra Shoalhaven Drug and Alcohol Service.
"We can answer some questions and if they're keen to be involved we'd organise an appointment with an addiction medical specialist," he said.
"Then throughout the study, they would take medication for 12 weeks and we'd keep regular contact wit them to see how they're progressing."
"We will be recruiting for the next two years in the Illawarra.
"It's a good opportunity for people locally who are struggling with their own use, or if family and friends are aware of anyone struggling they can pass on the information."
The study will be a controlled trial, with some participants given a placebo.
Prof Kelly said the drug trial could have implications for broader society if it was effective.
"The hope is that we will identify a medication that will improve treatment for people in this region, but also throughout Australia," he said.
"We know that it has a burden on people using the drug, but also the people around them - family and friends and employers - so if we can improve pathways for people to access treatment then we think there will be some benefits for society more broadly."
He said researchers believed mirtazipine could be effective to treat ice additions as it may help to rebalance neurotransmitters in the brain.
"There's a thought that mirtazipine will help to provide a balance and improve how those chemicals are working in the brain,"
"We also know people using methamphetamine tend to have difficulties with their mood, depression is quite high, and we know that sleep is a really significant consequence of using methamphetamine. So the fact that the drug has been demonstrated to have an impact on mood and sleep is of interest for this study."
Anyone interested in taking part in the trial can visit www.tinatrial.info for more details.