Trial Review

The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been endorsed by the ANZCTR. Before participating in a study, talk to your health care provider and refer to this information for consumers
Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
Help: Registration number
ACTRN12626000945325
Ethics application status
Help: Ethics application status
Approved
Date submitted
Help: Date submitted
6/07/2026
Date registered
Help: Date registered
30/07/2026
Date last updated
Help: Date last updated
30/07/2026
Date data sharing statement initially provided
Help: Data sharing statement date
30/07/2026
Type of registration
Help: Type of registration
Prospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
Reiki for Pain and Anxiety in People Living with Cancer: A Pilot Study of Effects and Patient Experiences
Scientific title
A Pilot Mixed-Methods Study of Reiki for Pain, Anxiety, and Patient Experience in People Living with Cancer
Additional trial identifiers [1] 317490 0
Nil
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Trial acronym
Related trial records

Health condition
Health condition(s) studied:
Pain 342201 0
Anxiety 342202 0
cancer 342838 0
Condition category
Condition code
Alternative and Complementary Medicine 338855 338855 0 0
Other alternative and complementary medicine
Cancer 339093 339093 0 0
Any cancer

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
Description of the intervention or exposure
Reiki is sometimes described as a “biofield therapy.” This means it focuses on the idea of energy in and around the body. Reiki aims to support the natural flow of this energy to help the body feel more balanced and calm. During a Reiki session, the practitioner aims to support this energy flow, while the person receiving Reiki simply relaxes. The Reiki practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above a person’s body. The goal is to support the body’s natural ability to heal itself.
Performed by Suzanne King, who has been a professional Reiki practitioner since 2019 and a Master / Teacher since 28 Oct 2024. Suzanne is a Member of the International Association of Reiki Professionals (IARP) and a Member of the International Institute for Complementary Therapists (IICT).
Reiki is delivered face to face to individuals
The Reiki therapy session will be 30 minutes duration, one-off
The Reiki therapy will be delivered in a private clinic
The participants will be provided with an appointment reminder prior to attending
Intervention code [1] 334644 0
Treatment: Other
Description of the comparator or control
No control group
Control group
Uncontrolled

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 346067 0
Change in anxiety
Timepoint [1] 346067 0
Immediately Pre and immediately post once-off 30-minute Reiki therapy session
Primary outcome [2] 346068 0
Change in pain
Timepoint [2] 346068 0
Immediately Pre and immediately post once-off 30-minute Reiki therapy session
Secondary outcome [1] 464482 0
Change in sense of wellbeing
Timepoint [1] 464482 0
Immediately Pre and immediately post once-off 30-minute Reiki therapy session
Secondary outcome [2] 464946 0
Participant experience of the Reiki intervention
Timepoint [2] 464946 0
1 question will be asked immediately prior to the once-off 30-minute Reiki therapy session and 7 questions will be asked immediately after the Reiki session

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria:
• People aged 18 years and above
• People diagnosed with all types of cancer (stage I – III).
• English-speaking, sufficient to complete the survey
• Able to provide informed consent
• Clinically stable at the time of participation
• Self reports experiencing pain and/or anxiety related to cancer or its treatment
Minimum age
18 Years
Maximum age
No limit
Sex
Both males and females
Healthy volunteers
No
Key exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria:
• Paediatric patients
• People diagnosed with stage IV cancer
• Acute medical or psychiatric instability that would preclude safe participation.
• Cognitive impairment (including from use of analgesia or other treatments) limiting capacity for informed consent or study participation

Study design
Purpose of the study
Treatment
Allocation to intervention
Non-randomised trial
Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Masking / blinding
Who is / are masked / blinded?



Intervention assignment
Other design features
Phase
Not Applicable
Type of endpoint/s
Statistical methods / analysis

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Not yet recruiting
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
3/08/2026
Actual
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
26/10/2026
Actual
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
18/11/2026
Actual
Sample size
Target
40
Accrual to date
Final
Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
TAS

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 322056 0
University
Name [1] 322056 0
University of Tasmania
Country [1] 322056 0
Australia
Funding source category [2] 322432 0
Commercial sector/Industry
Name [2] 322432 0
Reiki Energy for Life
Country [2] 322432 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
University
Name
University of Tasmania
Address
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 324937 0
None
Name [1] 324937 0
Address [1] 324937 0
Country [1] 324937 0

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Approved
Ethics committee name [1] 320586 0
University of Tasmania Human Research Ethics Committee
Ethics committee address [1] 320586 0
Ethics committee country [1] 320586 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 320586 0
29/05/2026
Approval date [1] 320586 0
03/06/2026
Ethics approval number [1] 320586 0
H40652

Summary
Brief summary
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Name 150978 0
A/Prof Shandell Elmer
Address 150978 0
School of Nursing, University of Tasmania, The Shed, 80 Cimitiere Street, Launceston, Tasmania7250
Country 150978 0
Australia
Phone 150978 0
+61 3 63249707
Fax 150978 0
Email 150978 0
[email protected]
Contact person for public queries
Name 150979 0
Shandell Elmer
Address 150979 0
School of Nursing, University of Tasmania, The Shed, 80 Cimitiere Street, Launceston, Tasmania7250
Country 150979 0
Australia
Phone 150979 0
+61 3 63249707
Fax 150979 0
Email 150979 0
[email protected]
Contact person for scientific queries
Name 150980 0
Shandell Elmer
Address 150980 0
School of Nursing, University of Tasmania, The Shed, 80 Cimitiere Street, Launceston, Tasmania 7250
Country 150980 0
Australia
Phone 150980 0
+61 3 63249707
Fax 150980 0
Email 150980 0
[email protected]

Data sharing statement
Will the study consider sharing individual participant data?
No


What supporting documents are/will be available?

No Supporting Document Provided


Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.