Dual NRT-Massachusetts General Hospital

"Dual NRT-Massachusetts General Hospital" refers to a dual nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) regimen utilized in a pilot randomized controlled trial at Massachusetts General Hospital's Center for Addiction Medicine. This pharmacological approach involves the concurrent use of two different nicotine delivery formats—typically a long-acting transdermal patch to provide a steady baseline level of nicotine and a short-acting oral form (such as gum or lozenges) to manage breakthrough cravings. The active ingredient, nicotine, serves as an agonist at nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the brain, stimulating the release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters to mitigate withdrawal symptoms. The specific MGH study (NCT05491330) investigates the efficacy of this dual NRT regimen when combined with peer recovery coaching for tobacco cessation in adults undergoing treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), a population with high smoking prevalence and low success rates with monotherapy.

Other names

Dual nicotine replacement therapyDual NRT