Sickle Cell Disease Trial, Recruiting

Written by an AI model from ClinicalTrials.gov eligibility criteria and checked on a sample basis. Please confirm against the original criteria.

Who might be able to join this trial:

• People of any gender between the ages of 14 and 17 (teenagers) or 18 and 80 years old
• People who are right-handed
• People who are being treated as outpatients, inpatients, or moving between both types of care
• People who have been diagnosed with sickle cell disease (any type, such as SS, SC, or others) and have had ongoing pain in the past 6 months, or a painful crisis episode in the past 12 months
• People who have been prescribed pain or sickle cell medications by their doctor (such as morphine, oxycodone, hydroxyurea, or others) — having these medications is allowed but not required
• People who are willing to avoid starting new pain treatments or medications during the study visits
• People who are able to travel to the study site for appointments (which include questionnaires, brain scans, and other tests) and receive acupuncture sessions up to twice a week for 5 weeks
• People who are fluent in English and able to sign a written consent form

Who may not be able to join:

• People who currently have, or are suspected of having, COVID-19
• People who have had acupuncture or similar treatments for pain in the past 6 months
• People with known blood clotting problems or very low platelet counts that could make acupuncture unsafe (those with mildly low platelets may still be considered — confirm with trial site)
• People who have another condition that causes ongoing pain — such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or inflammatory bowel disease — where that pain is worse than their sickle cell pain
• People with a history of a serious head injury with significant loss of consciousness
• People with nerve damage (from a cause other than sickle cell disease) that interferes with daily activities
• People with a serious mental health condition not related to sickle cell disease, such as schizophrenia or severe depression with thoughts of suicide
• People with significant vision, movement, or hearing problems that would prevent them from completing study activities
• People who have started or changed the dose of stimulant medications (such as Adderall or Ritalin) within the past 30 days
• People who cannot have an MRI scan due to metal implants, surgical clips, certain dental materials, heart rhythm problems, seizure disorders, or other MRI-related safety concerns
• People who have had vascular surgery on their lower legs, or who have current circulation problems in their lower legs (these individuals would not receive a specific pain test on the lower limb — confirm with trial site)
• People who are involved in workers' compensation claims, lawsuits, out-of-court settlements, or are receiving financial compensation related to their sickle cell disease
• People who are already taking part in another clinical trial focused on similar treatment goals
• People who are pregnant or currently breastfeeding

Important: Always verify eligibility with the trial site directly before applying.