The STAR Program proudly highlights a new publication co-authored by our Medical Director, Jessica E. Yager, MD, MPH, on an important randomized clinical trial, published in JAMA Network Open.
In “Clinical Pharmacists, Medications, and Contingency Management for Targeting Smoking in HIV Clinics: A Randomized Clinical Trial,” Dr. Yager and colleagues report findings from the SMARTTT trial (SMART Approach to Treating Tobacco Use Disorder in Persons With HIV), a multi-site study evaluating innovative, adaptive treatment strategies to reduce cigarette smoking among people living with HIV.
Cigarette smoking remains a major driver of morbidity and mortality among people with HIV. This trial enrolled 323 participants across HIV clinics, including SUNY Downstate, and tested clinical pharmacist-delivered nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) with or without contingency management (CM) – a structured incentive program that rewards confirmed abstinence. The study found that adding CM significantly improved smoking abstinence at 12 weeks compared to NRT alone. Over 24 weeks, adaptive strategies that incorporated CM produced the strongest outcomes for smoking reduction and abstinence.
Importantly, the study demonstrates the powerful role clinical pharmacists can play within HIV care teams—prescribing medications for tobacco use disorder, providing structured follow-up, and integrating behavioral strategies directly into HIV clinic workflows. The findings offer practical, evidence-based guidance for HIV clinics nationwide seeking to address tobacco use as a critical component of comprehensive HIV care.
Dr. Yager’s leadership at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University and the STAR Program continues to advance integrated, team-based, and equity-focused models of care for people living with HIV. This publication further underscores STAR’s commitment to pairing rigorous science with real-world implementation to improve long-term health outcomes in our community.
Read the full open-access article in JAMA Network Open here:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/ (doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.60593)
