Summary
Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity is tracked by OSMF as an investigational option for Long COVID; no regulator has approved it for this indication, and most post-viral conditions have no approved disease-modifying therapy at all. ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1 registered trial linking Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity to Long COVID: 1 is currently recruiting. None of the registered studies carries a drug-development phase label, which is typical for behavioural, device and supplement protocols. It plans or enrolled 30 participants. Registered activity dates to 2024. The literature layer holds 4 publications for this pair: 1 systematic review and 3 other publications. Because at least one synthesis-level source exists (systematic review, meta-analysis or Cochrane review), this pair has been assessed beyond single studies, although the synthesis may concern a different indication.
Long COVID / PASC is tracked on the OSMF post-viral programme alongside ME/CFS, Long COVID, POTS and MCAS. Across the programme, 423 candidate agents are logged for Long COVID, most of them preliminary; this page isolates the record for one of them.
Evidence table
| Evidence tier | C · Preliminary |
|---|---|
| Evidence score | 14.0 (trials 3.0, literature 6.0, tier 5, approved bonus 0.0) |
| Registered trials | 1 total: 1 recruiting, 0 active / not yet recruiting, 0 completed, 0 other |
| Linked publications | 4 (3 other publications, 1 systematic review) |
| Agent type | Behavioural (Behavioral / Protocol / Exercise, Medical Device) |
| Development stage (any indication) | Investigational |
| Mechanism / class | Neurological / Autonomic |
| Data sources | OSMF therapeutic agent database, ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed |
How the evidence score is calculated
- Each registered trial scores by status (recruiting / active / enrolling 3, completed 2.5, not yet recruiting 2, unknown 1, terminated / withdrawn / suspended 0.5) plus a phase bonus (phase 3-4 +2, phase 2 +1, phase 1 +0.5). The trial component is capped at 30.
- Each literature item scores by design (Cochrane review 5, meta-analysis 4, systematic review 3, RCT 3, clinical trial publication 2, curated reference 1.5, other PubMed record 1). The literature component is capped at 30.
- The existing evidence tier adds 15 (A / Strong), 10 (B / Moderate), 5 (C / Preliminary) or 0 (D / Anecdotal).
- Agents approved for any indication (max clinical phase 4) add 5, because an approved agent has an established safety profile that lowers the barrier to repurposing trials.
- The score ranks what has been studied, not what works. It does not read effect sizes or directions of effect.
Registered clinical trials
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase | Enrolment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCT06095297 | Long COVID Brain Fog: Cognitive Rehabilitation Trial University of Alabama at Birmingham · 2024 | recruiting | Not applicable | 30 |
Published literature
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 42279108
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 37841213
- Review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 34975571
- Systematic review (PubMed validation search) PubMed record PMID 36642173
Mechanism and notes
Recorded mechanism or class: Neurological / Autonomic.
Clinical notes: Investigational for listed conditions. 2 associated trial(s) and 0 study reference(s) in current data. Review primary sources and consult specialists before use.
Safety: Limited specific safety data in these populations. Review full prescribing information and consult specialist. Many agents used off-label or investigational.
Dosing in studies: See linked studies/trials for reported doses and durations; typical protocols vary widely.
Frequently asked questions
Is Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity approved for Long COVID?
Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity is tracked by OSMF as an investigational option for Long COVID; no regulator has approved it for this indication, and most post-viral conditions have no approved disease-modifying therapy at all. Approval status for the specific indication should always be confirmed with the relevant regulator and prescribing information.
Is Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity in clinical trials for Long COVID?
ClinicalTrials.gov lists 1 registered trial linking Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity to Long COVID: 1 is currently recruiting. None of the registered studies carries a drug-development phase label, which is typical for behavioural, device and supplement protocols. It plans or enrolled 30 participants. Registered activity dates to 2024.
What does the evidence show for Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity in Long COVID?
Trials of Trans-Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation: High Intensity in Long COVID are registered but none has completed, so there is no outcome evidence from those studies yet; the record is a signal of research interest. OSMF's existing evidence tier for this pair is C (Preliminary), taken from the OSMF therapeutic agent database, which grades agents by the volume and design of condition-specific evidence rather than by effect size.
Cite this page
Data: ClinicalTrials.gov, PubMed, Open Targets, ChEMBL, DGIdb and the OSMF therapeutic agent database. Last updated 2026-10-07. Page built 2026-10-07.