The Nicotine Research Program at Mayo Clinic was started in 1988 with the opening of the Nicotine Dependence Center. The program has a reputation for conducting high-quality clinical research and continues to make notable contributions to the field of addiction research and the treatment of tobacco dependence.
Initially focused on nicotine replacement therapy trials, the program's studies include clinical trials with a focus on behavioral interventions, pharmacotherapy interventions, population-based epidemiology, cost-effectiveness and outcomes research.
The Nicotine Research Program's strengths lie in collaboration and in its wide reach. Investigators conduct numerous tobacco-related research studies examining ways not only to improve smoking cessation rates, but also to reduce smoking initiation. Some of these studies aim to help people who use smokeless tobacco, while others focus on cigarette smoking.
One area of research examines ways to help smokers with specific health conditions, including people with high blood pressure, additional addictions or co-existing conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and psychiatric comorbidities. In addition, newer studies investigate various types of complementary and integrative medicine therapies for cigarette smokers and a combination of therapies.
Studies conducted by Mayo Clinic researchers have involved more than 60,000 research participants, including:
- 135 randomized clinical trials
- 38 retrospective abstracting studies
- 19 survey studies
- 6 focus group studies
The research program portfolio continues to increase through investigator-initiated peer-reviewed grants and industry-sponsored research. Investigators have published nearly 526 peer-review articles in the last 20 years, and the scholarly output continues to grow.
In the Nicotine Research Program, as throughout Mayo Clinic, the goal is to serve patient needs by integrating research into clinical practice and education. For more information, please contact the program.