Idiopathic Hypersomnia Clinical Trials in Miami, FL
PharmaDev Clinical Research Institute is enrolling adults with idiopathic hypersomnia in clinical research studies at our Miami office. Because idiopathic hypersomnia and narcolepsy share a diagnostic pathway, some of the studies below enroll both conditions together; each listing says which it accepts.
Every study is reviewed by an Institutional Review Board and conducted under the direct supervision of Edward Mezerhane, MD, triple board certified in internal medicine, sleep medicine and obesity medicine. Study-related care is provided at no cost and taking part is voluntary at every stage.
Studies open now · 3 studies
Each study below is running at our Miami office. Open one to see what taking part involves, who may be able to join, and to apply.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- Sleeping nine hours or more and still waking unrefreshed
- Long naps that leave you groggier than before rather than restored
- Needing an hour or more after the alarm before you feel properly awake
- Being described by others as impossible to wake
- Being told for years that you are lazy, depressed, or just not a morning person
- Sleepiness that persists no matter how carefully you protect your sleep schedule
These are things people with this condition often describe — they are not a diagnosis. Whether a study is a fit is confirmed at a screening visit with our physician, provided at no cost to you.
About this condition
Idiopathic Hypersomnia
Idiopathic hypersomnia causes persistent daytime sleepiness despite normal or even long nighttime sleep. Unlike in narcolepsy, naps tend to be long and unrefreshing. Many people also have severe sleep inertia: prolonged grogginess and difficulty waking that can last an hour or more after the alarm.
"Idiopathic" means the cause is not known, and the diagnosis is one of careful exclusion — an overnight sleep study and a multiple sleep latency test the next day, alongside a review of sleep schedules, medications and other conditions that cause sleepiness. Because the symptoms overlap with depression, thyroid disease and simple sleep deprivation, it is often recognized only after years of being attributed to something else.
Common questions
How is idiopathic hypersomnia diagnosed for a study?
The same way it is diagnosed in clinical care: an overnight sleep study followed the next day by a multiple sleep latency test, alongside a review of your sleep schedule, medications and any other cause of sleepiness. Studies rely on that testing, so a report from the sleep lab that diagnosed you is the most useful thing to bring.
I was diagnosed several years ago — does that still count?
Often yes, though some protocols ask for testing within a defined window or for repeat testing at screening. If repeat testing is needed it is arranged and paid for as part of the study. Our coordinators check the requirement against your records during pre-screening.
Can I take part if I am already taking something for sleepiness?
Sometimes. Certain studies enroll people currently on a stimulant or an oxybate, others require a monitored washout first, and a few are designed specifically for people who have not responded to what they have tried. Tell us what you are taking and we will match it against the open protocols.
Is idiopathic hypersomnia studied separately from narcolepsy?
Both ways. Some protocols enroll idiopathic hypersomnia alone; others enroll the central disorders of hypersomnolence as a group, meaning narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia together. Each listing on this page states which population it covers.
What happens at the screening visit?
It takes place at our Miami office at no cost to you. We review your history and medications, perform a physical examination and any tests the protocol requires, and go through the consent document in full — in English or Spanish. You are under no obligation to continue afterwards.
Further reading
Clinical trials are more structured and more supervised than most people expect. Here is the whole sequence.
The placebo question is the one most people ask first. The honest answer is that it depends on the study — and you will be told before you decide.
Some studies do not simply stop. An extension phase is the part where everyone knows what they are taking.
Other conditions we study
See if you may be able to take part
Complete the form and a research coordinator will contact you within 24 hours. Se habla español.
Study visits take place at our office in the Kendall area of Miami, with parking on site.
Participants may be compensated for their time and travel. Compensation varies by study and is explained in full before you decide to take part.
Prefer to talk? Call (305) 420-5636 — Se habla español.