The primary specific aim is to evaluate the use of intranasal scopolamine gel (DPI-386) in operational field settings. Both astronauts and non-astronaut participants in the field testing will be recruited to test the feasibility and efficacy of the intranasal scopolamine gel (0.4 mg dosage). This testing will include only the active drug (no placebo); however, control astronaut subjects will also be recruited who choose other motion sickness countermeasures. The goal is to recruit astronauts from free-flier missions like SpaceX Polaris Dawn (8 active, 8 control), from Private Astronaut Missions to the International Space Station (ISS) like Axiom (8 active, 8 control), and from standard missions to the International Space Station (8 active, 8 control). Astronaut participants who choose to take intranasal scopolamine gel will be required to complete a 15 min training session to learn how to apply the medication, and then a 15 min debrief on any symptoms, side effects and comments on the efficacy and feasibility of self-administering the medication. Astronaut participants will also have the option to self-administer the drug during preflight activities that involve exposure to a motion environment (e.g., centrifuge training). For each time subjects choose to self-administer the drug, subjects will be asked to complete a short 15 min survey to describe the operational environment (e.g., centrifuge levels), any symptoms subjects experienced, side effects and comment s on the efficacy and feasibility of self-administering the medication. All astronauts, both active and control, will be tasked to complete a short inflight and postflight survey (15-30 min each) to summarize symptoms by day, record what medications were taken, rate their effectiveness, and summarize their recommendations on what others can do (or avoid) to improve recovery.
This test may also involve non-astronaut test personnel during operational activities that involve provocative motion, e.g., capsule recovery simulations, centrifuge training, and parabolic flights. Participants for this part of the study will be recruited from personnel who are already involved and medically cleared for these operational activities and are interested in trying the drug to prevent or treat symptoms in addition to their primary task(s). In order to participate in these field test activities, subjects will be required to complete a 15 min training session to learn how to apply the medication, and then a 15 min debrief on any side effects and comments on the efficacy and feasibility of self-administering the medication. To prevent motion sickness, participants will administer the medication at least 30-45 min before the motion starts (e.g., centrifuge, launch, re-entry). To use the medication to treat motion sickness, participants will administer the medication while symptoms are still mild. Following the operational exercise, a short survey will be used to obtain the timing of the administration relative to the motion stressor, the operational environmental conditions (e.g., sea state or centrifugation levels), description of motion sickness symptoms and side effects, and subjective comments about the feasibility and efficacy of intranasal scopolamine gel.
