Infant pain, adult repercussions Sep 26, 2009
Endogenous opioid peptides, such as beta-endorphin and enkephalin, function to inhibit pain ... Since these peptides are released following injury and act like morphine to dampen the experience of pain, LaPrairie and Murphy tested to see if the rats, who were injured at birth, had unusually high levels of endogenous opioids in adulthood ... This drug blocks the actions of endogenous opioids. (EurekAlert!)
Nanoparticle-based Battlefield Pain Treatment Moves A Step Closer Sep 26, 2009
They have discovered how opioid drugs such as morphine both relieve pain and also cause. (Dec. (Science Daily)
Adolor buys drug from Eli Lilly Sep 22, 2009
intends to initially develop OpRA III to treat opioid bowel dysfunction, or OBD. The biopharmaceutical company plans to initiate clinical trials of the compound early next year. OpRA III has a unique profile with the potential to address the gastrointestinal disorders associated with the use of opioid analgesics, said Michael R. Dougherty, president and CEO of Adolor. (Philadelphia Business Journal, PA)
The science of Oxy addiction Sep 20, 2009
The body naturally produces its own version of opioid compounds known as endorphins and enkalphins in response to stress and exertion, and oxycodone mimics the effects of these compounds in the brain, he said. "As the dose increases, the effects go beyond pain relief and produce euphoria," he said. (Juneau Empire)
Heroin supply clinic 'cuts crime' Sep 15, 2009
"It's as if each of them is an oil tanker heading for disaster and so the purpose of this trial is to see: 'Can you turn them around? Is it possible to avert disaster?' "And the surprising finding - which is good for the individuals and good for society as well - is that you can," he said. The Randomised Injecting Opioid Treatment Trial (RIOTT) programme - which is funded by a number of agencies, including the Department of Health - began in 2005. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME Please turn on... (BBC News -- UK)
Nektar Presents Data Demonstrating Favorable Oral Bioavailability and Drug-Drug Interaction Profile for NKTR-118 Sep 14, 2009
NKTR-118, an oral peripherally-acting opioid antagonist, is in clinical development for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation ... Oral NKTR-118 combines Nektar's advanced small molecule polymer conjugate technology platform with naloxol, a derivative of the opioid-antagonist drug, naloxone ... Nektar's proprietary advanced polymer conjugate technology increases the bioavailability and half-life of naloxol, enabling NKTR-118 to act selectively in the periphery while preserving... (PR Newswire)
Instanyl sets new standard in management of breakthrough cancer pain Sep 11, 2009
Instanyl is approved for the management of breakthrough cancer pain in adults already receiving maintenance opioid therapy for chronic cancer pain ... A multinational, open-label, crossover trial comparing Instanyl and Actiq for breakthrough cancer pain in patients receiving chronic opioid treatment ... Both treatments were well tolerated with adverse events experienced being those typical for this group of opioid drugs. (EurekAlert!)
US Prison System Falls Short In Treating Drug Addiction, Study Finds Sep 11, 2009
Like methadone, it prevents withdrawal symptoms when an individual stops taking opioid drugs by producing similar effects. Both methadone and buprenorphine are included in WHO's "Essential Medicines" list of drugs that should be made available at all times by health systems to patients. (Science Daily)
Cumberland Pharmaceuticals launches injectable ibuprofen Sep 10, 2009
Previously, the only injectibe drugs available to reduce pain were opioids, such as morphine and meperdine, and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketorolac. The introduction of IV ibuprofen should allow anesthesiologists to achieve improved pain control with less opioid analgesic medication, thereby improving patient satisfaction, said Dr. Paul White, an anesthesiologist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas ... The use of IV ibuprofen can help reduce... (Nashville Business Journal, TN)
New Research Strategy For Understanding Drug Resistance In Leukemia Sep 9, 2009
4, 2008) Researchers have discovered that methadone, an agent used to break addiction to opioid drugs, has surprising killing power against leukemia cells, including treatment resistant forms of the. (Mar. (Science Daily)
Deaths From Unintentional Injuries Increase For Many Groups Sep 4, 2009
Prescriptions for opioid analgesics to address pain have increased dramatically in the past decade, and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that prescription drugs have replaced illegal drugs such as cocaine as the most prominent substances in fatal drug overdoses. Senior author Guoqing Hu, PhD, and Baker analyzed data from the CDC Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), which provides data on deaths according to cause and intent of... (Science Daily)
It's Not All In Your Head: Descending Neural Mechanisms Of Placebo-induced Pain Control Aug 30, 2009
Endogenous opioids, which are naturally produced by the brain in small amounts and play a key role in the relief of pain and anxiety, have been implicated in placebo analgesia. Brain imaging studies have shown that placebo analgesia stimulates release of endogenous opioids from higher brain regions associated with pain modulation and is associated with a decrease in signals from pain-sensitive areas ... "It has been hypothesized that placebo analgesia also recruits the opioidergic descending... (Science Daily)
State approves methadone clinic Aug 28, 2009
Methadone is a drug used in the treatment of opioid dependency, such as heroin and several prescription painkillers. It works by taking the place of the opioid, and some critics claim it amounts to patients trading one drug for another ... The number one prescription in Tennessee is for hydrocodone which is an opioid. (Columbia Daily Herald, TN)
Runners high can turn into a real addiction Aug 27, 2009
"These findings, in conjunction with results of studies demonstrating that intake of drugs of abuse and running activates the endogenous opioid and dopamine reward systems, suggest that it might be possible to substitute drug-taking behavior with naturally rewarding behavior," she writes. She also wants to do further research on understanding the neurophysiology of extreme eating and exercise disorders. (MSNBC -- Health)
How long does it take for a once-addicted brain to heal? Aug 26, 2009
com have already discussed issues related to use of opioid medications during your one daughter's pregnancy, as well as tips for helping your other opioid-addicted daughter gain weight ... The answer to the first question is probably something like "forever," by which I mean that drugs such as Suboxone work by giving the brain the opioid stimulation it craves, but does so in a gentler and safer manner than does heroin ... When Suboxone works, it does so by meeting the opioid craving, not by... (CNN -- Health)
What's the deal with... Aug 25, 2009
According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy's fact sheet, methadone is a medication that curbs withdrawal and dependence symptoms by blocking receptors in the brain accustomed to an opioid, usually heroin. For students, the clinic is an opportunity for some interesting eavesdropping as the patients wait for rides on the corner. (GW Hatchet, Washington DC)
Using Heroin to Treat Heroin Addiction Aug 24, 2009
Medical Heroin Found Effective for Treatment-Refractory Opioid Addiction ... Schechter said methadone should remain the standard treatment for most patients with opioid dependence, with diacetylmorphine reserved for the 15 percent to 25 percent who don't respond. (ABC News)
Computer System Improves Pain Therapy For Cancer Patients Aug 23, 2009
The use of AiDPainCare improved the competent prescribing of such co-analgesics and of opioid (opiate-based) pain medication to treat pain peaks and breakthrough pain ... In addition, the module provides quick access to general principles on treatment with opioids and legal information. (Science Daily)
Best Way to Treat Heroin Addicts ... With Heroin? Aug 21, 2009
"Politically it would be very difficult to get any kind of support to do it," said Mark Parrino, president of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence, a professional group. Opioids are a class of drugs that include heroin and prescription narcotics such as OxyContin. (Fox News)
Diacetylmorphine versus Methadone for the Treatment of Opioid Addiction Aug 20, 2009
Background Studies in Europe have suggested that injectable diacetylmorphine, the active ingredient in heroin, can be an effective adjunctive treatment for chronic, relapsing opioid dependence. Methods In an open-label, phase 3, randomized, controlled trial in Canada, we compared injectable diacetylmorphine with oral methadone maintenance therapy in patients with opioid dependence that was refractory to treatment. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Acupuncture Alters the Brains Management of Pain Aug 19, 2009
Their study discovered that acupuncture increases the binding ability of mu-opioid receptors in the regions of the brain that process and control pain signals. Opioid painkillers, such as morphine and codeine, bind to these receptors ... Treating victims of chronic pain with acupuncture may make their opioid medications work better because the pain-relieving medication can attach to more receptors and increase their effectiveness. (Newsmax)
A New Service for Health Care Providers Who Prescribe Methadone to Treat Chronic Pain or Opioid Addiction Aug 18, 2009
Aug. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new service for health care providers prescribing methadone to treat chronic pain or opioid addiction -- the Physician Clinical Support System for Methadone (PCCS-M) -- opens this week with a mechanism to connect prescribers of methadone with experienced clinicians for one-to-one mentoring regarding the use of this medication. Methadone is an inexpensive opioid medication that has several unique properties that make it particularly well suited to the... (PR Newswire)
Seppala: Danger in your pill bottle Aug 13, 2009
Marvin Seppala says opioid painkillers are highly addictive and in the same class of drugs as heroin. CENTER CITY, Minnesota (CNN) -- Prescribed opioids -- pain medication -- have become the fastest-growing addiction problem in the United States ... Opioid prescriptions have skyrocketed since the mid '90s and with this we have seen dramatic increases in illicit diversion of the drugs, addiction treatment admissions, emergency room visits for opioid overdoses and deaths. (CNN -- US)
Salvia on Schedule: Law, Medicine and a Hallucinogen Collide Aug 12, 2009
That is because salvinorin A binds mostly to only one type of receptor (the so-called kappa opioid receptor) and not significantly to receptors that could lead to addiction (such as the mu opioid receptor) ... The team s work with salvinorin A in animals suggests that a drug that would block kappa opioid receptors might be an antidepressant drug probably a nonaddictive one or a mood stabilizer for patients with bipolar disorder, Cohen remarks ... By activating the kappa opioid receptors, drugs... (Scientific American)
Chinese Acupuncture Affects Brain's Ability To Regulate Pain, UM Study Shows Aug 12, 2009
Opioid painkillers, such as morphine, codeine and other medications, are thought to work by binding to these opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord ... One implication of this research is that patients with chronic pain treated with acupuncture might be more responsive to opioid medications since the receptors seem to have more binding availability, Harris says ... Traditional Chinese acupuncture and placebo (sham) acupuncture are differentiated by their effects on -opioid receptors... (Science Daily)
Why Would Billy Mays Take Three Kinds of Painkillers? Aug 11, 2009
Federal law prohibits doctors from prescribing opioids to patients with uncontrolled substance-abuse problems ... So your doctor might prescribe an opioid like oxycodonewhich works by binding to pain-reducing receptors in the brain and spinal cordin combination with aspirin or ibuprofenwhich work by reducing inflammation ... Pain medications are also prescribed along with drugs that are not technically painkillers themselves but that enhance the effects of opioids. (Slate)
Acupuncture Changes Brain, Study Shows Aug 11, 2009
Painkillers, such as morphine, codeine and other medications are thought to work by binding to these opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord. Richard E. Harris, who wrote the study, said it could mean that patients with chronic pain could then get more benefit from those drugs. (Click2Houston, TX)
Watson Announces Limited Recall Of Fentanyl Transdermal System Aug 8, 2009
Watson's Fentanyl Transdermal System CII is indicated for the management of persistent, moderate to severe chronic pain that requires continuous, around the clock opioid administration for an extended period of time and cannot be managed by other means such as non-steroidal analgesics, opioid combination products, or immediate release opioids. Anyone who comes in contact with fentanyl gel should thoroughly rinse exposed skin with large amounts of water only; do not use soap. (PR Newswire)
High-fat, High-sugar Foods Alter Brain Receptors Aug 7, 2009
Dr. Bello and colleagues report that either continuous eating or binge eating a high fat, high sugar diet alters opioid receptor levels in an area of the brain that controls food intake. Opioids are a family of chemicals with actions similar to those of morphine; however, opioids exist naturally in the brain and have been linked to feelings of pleasure and euphoria ... These results are interesting because we saw changes in opioid receptor gene expression in a brain area that controls how much... (Science Daily)
Medicines Top Source of Kids' Poisonings Aug 6, 2009
The most common medications accidentally taken by children are acetaminophen, opioids or benzodiazepines, cough and cold medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and antidepressants, Budnitz said ... While many overdoses are accidental, the dangers of opioid use among teens is the subject of a new study in this month's Archives of Pediatrics scent Medicine ... That study, from University of Michigan researchers, found that pain relief is not the main reason that one in 10 high... (MEDLINEplus)
Pain Relief Only One Motive For Opioid Use Among High School Seniors Aug 5, 2009
4, 2009) Taking opioid drugs without a prescription appears relatively common among high school seniors, according to a new report ... "Prescription opioids are the foundation for the treatment of acute and chronic pain and these medications are highly efficacious when used properly," the authors write as background information in the article ... "However, the non-medical use [without a clinician's orders] of prescription opioids has increased significantly among adolescents and young adults... (Science Daily)
One in 10 High School Seniors Have Used Narcotic Painkillers Aug 5, 2009
MONDAY, Aug. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Pain relief isn't the main reason why one in 10 high school seniors have tried opioid drugs, a new U.S. study finds ... "The results of this study provide compelling evidence that adolescents have a wide range of motives for using prescription opioids non-medically, and these motives should be carefully considered in efforts to reduce this behavior," said study author Sean Esteban McCabe, a research associate professor at the Substance Abuse Research Center of... (MEDLINEplus)
What can I take to help with Vicodin withdrawal symptoms? Aug 4, 2009
Vicodin (a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone) is an opioid agent often prescribed for pain. Also called narcotics, opioid agents are derived from opium and act on the central nervous system to change the way the body responds to painful stimuli ... In his practice, Gitlow recommends gradual reduction of opioids with physician oversight rather than sudden cessation. (CNN -- Health)
One out of three doctors choose Epocrates Rx for the iPhone Aug 3, 2009
Apps from the developer of clinical information and decision support tools include the prescription app, an over-the-counter information app, an infectious disease guide and a suite of tools to calculate IV drip rates, breast cancer risk, heparin dosing and opioid analgesic conversions, among other information. Some of the apps are free. (San Jose Business Journal, CA)
Types of Pain Medications Aug 2, 2009
The opioid analgesics, also termed narcotics, relieve pain by binding to opioid receptors in the central nervous system ... The potency of these opioids allow them to be used for moderate to severe pain ... Some opioids have properties as antagonists, binding to opioid receptors to prevent the analgesic effect. (Suite101.com)
Junk Food Changes Your Brain Jul 31, 2009
Researchers said in that a diet like that alters opioid receptor levels in an area of the brain that controls food intake. Opioids are chemicals that exist naturally in the brain that have been linked to feelings of pleasure and euphoria. (Click2Houston, TX)
Active Ingredient In Cannabis Eliminates Morphine Dependence In Rats Jul 16, 2009
In addition, there is a correlation between such behavioral disturbances linked to dependence, and hypoactivity of the enkephalinergic system, the endogenous opioid system. To these rats, placed under stress from birth, the researchers intermittently administered increasingly high doses of THC (5 or 10 mg/kg) during the period corresponding to their adolescence (between 35 and 48 days after birth). (Science Daily)
Cesarean Section: Local Anesthetic Reduces Need For Painkillers Post-op Jul 14, 2009
They found that women treated with local anaesthetic as well as local or regional anaesthesia did not require as much morphine or other opioid drugs for pain relief after their operations. When non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were also given, pain was reduced further. (Science Daily)
Comprehensive Review Of Addiction To Prescription Painkillers Among Patients And Physicians Jul 14, 2009
Addiction to and abuse of prescription opioid drugs are prevalent, and they exact an immense toll on patients, physicians and society, according to Steven Passik, Ph. D., Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, in "Issues in Long-Term Opioid Therapy: Unmet Needs, Risks, and Solutions." ... Opioid drugs have been used by humans for thousands of years and are the longest continuously used class of medications, explains William Lanier,... (Science Daily)
Potential Patient Safety Risks Among Methadone Maintenance Treatment Patients Jul 12, 2009
MMT is a chronic therapy for opioid dependence, a chronic relapsing disease that often requires lifelong treatment ... Ideally, when patients in MMT engage in outpatient or inpatient medical care, treating physicians are aware of MMT and document both methadone on the medication list and opioid dependence on the medical problem list ... BMC researchers aimed to identify potential patient safety risks among MMT patients engaged in medical care by evaluating the frequency that opioid dependence... (Science Daily)
More of this story Jul 12, 2009
Edward Kubo Jr., U.S attorney for the district of Hawai i, said in entering his guilty plea, Spear admitted he prescribed methadone an opioid similar to morphine or heroine to a Hawai i patient on four occasions in 2005 and 2006, and that in each instance the prescription was in violation of federal law prohibiting the dispensing of controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose. The Alabama charge was premised on a similarly illegal prescription for hydrocodone the chemical found in... (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Fame's Funhouse Mirror Jul 11, 2009
Even brand-name opioid compounds like Oxycontin aren't that costly. A hundred thousand dollars' worth of prescription Schedule II narcotics would just plain kill three or four people outright if taken in the course of a year. (Townhall.com)
Patients at risk as drug and alcohol services cut: staff Jul 10, 2009
2 million budget blowout partly caused by an increase in opioid addicts. "Services are being realigned to ensure service provision occurs within budget with no reduction in clinical services to consumers," he said. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Prescription drug abuse ravages state's youth Jul 7, 2009
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says nearly 7 million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, noting that is "more than the number who are abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy and inhalants combined." The DEA also reports that "opioid painkillers now cause more overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined.". "Something needs to be done, because it's killing our kids every day." said Lynn Kissick. (MSNBC -- Crime)
New Targeted Therapy Finds And Eliminates Deadly Leukemia Stem Cells Jul 4, 2009
4, 2008) Researchers have discovered that methadone, an agent used to break addiction to opioid drugs, has surprising killing power against leukemia cells, including treatment resistant forms of the. (June 8, 2009) Scientists have developed a new approach to treating leukemia, one that targets leukemia-proliferating cells with drugs that are already on the market. (Science Daily)
States Try to Curb Prescription Drug Abuse Jul 2, 2009
We've updated CBSNews. NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (CBS News)
Regulator ponders curbs on use of paracetamol Jul 2, 2009
An independent panel of advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration this week voted to ban medications that combine paracetamol and an opioid. It also recommended lowering the maximum single adult dose of paracetamol to 650 milligrams. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Read the story Jul 2, 2009
States Try to Curb Prescription Drug Abuse - CBS News. We've updated CBSNews. (CBS News -- Evening News)
KHOU: Texas MD With Jackson Amid Collapse Jun 27, 2009
Sedation due to an opioid like Demerol is rapidly reversed by the administration of Narcan ... Also, as a pulmonary depressant, opioid OD's can be treated with simple mouth to mouth resuscitation. (CBS News -- Entertainment)
Did Drugs Kill Michael Jackson? Jun 27, 2009
It is not known what measures the emergency workers took to save Jackson, but if they had determined that he suffered from cardiac arrest triggered by an overdose of narcotics, they would have likely used a shot of naloxone, a drug that counteracts opioid overdose, to get the brain back online and the heart beating again, says Connie Meyer, an EMS captain in Johnson County, Kans. In cases where it's not clear whether narcotics are involved cardiac arrest may be caused by a wide range of factors,... (Time.com)
The Promise of Low Dose Naltrexone ... Jun 23, 2009
Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist (a drug that blocks opioid receptors) which is used in the treatment of narcotic and alcohol addiction ... This stimulates the body to produce more of its own endogenous opioids, resulting in powerful immunomodulatory and neuroprotective actions ... The Promise of Low Dose Naltrexone Therapy (McFarland, 2008, ISBN 978-0786437153) starts off with the history of opioids and naltrexone, which was developed to treat heroin addicts. (Suite101.com)
Guest commentary: Cambridge Prevention Coalition: A collaboration to address substance abuse Jun 20, 2009
The Police Department is another important partner that works with us to both prevent underage drinking and also track and reduce opioid overdoses. Police Commissioner Robert Haas has been very supportive of our work, and we are really excited about how the CPD is addressing important issues that affect our youth by creating the Family/Youth Services Division. (Cambridge Chronicle, MA)
Painkiller ban 'has cut suicides' Jun 19, 2009
Professor Hawton said authorities in the US were now considering withdrawing co-proxamol, which is a mixture of paracetamol and an opioid drug. "This marked reduction in suicides and accidental poisonings involving co-proxamol during this period, with no evidence of an increase in deaths involving other analgesics, suggests the initiative has been effective," he added. (BBC News -- Health)
Deep Sedation Helps Docs Find More Polyps Jun 3, 2009
The overwhelming majority of colonoscopies in the United States are done using moderate conscious sedation, typically using a combination of benzodiazepines, which include diazepam (better known as Valium) and an opioid, such as fentanyl and meperidine (better known as Demerol), she said. Typically, colonoscopies performed under deep sedation use the short-acting sedative drug propofol, made by a variety of manufacturers as a generic and also by AstraZeneca under the brand name Diprivan. (Newsmax)
Do-It-Yourself Anti-Overdose Kits: Do They Help? May 30, 2009
Most overdose deaths happen accidentally, and most involve a combination of an opioid either prescription painkillers, like methadone or OxyContin, or street drugs like heroin and other depressant drugs, such as alcohol or Xanax ... Naloxone reverses a high by blocking the brain's opioid receptors, where drugs like heroin and narcotic painkillers bind. (Time.com)
Rush Limbaugh: 5 Things You Didn'... May 28, 2009
com - Rush Limbaugh: 5 Things You Didn't Know. UPDATED DAILY Thursday, May 28, 2009. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
Safer alternatives to pain pills May 20, 2009
Prescription drugsIf you have intense, acute pain, say from a broken bone or after surgery, your doctor may write a limited-time scrip for a low-dose opioid, such as codeine or oxycodone ... But if the pain is a lingering companion, you might have trouble: When opioids are prescribed for chronic pain, it's difficult for a patient to stop using them, says Dr. Manchikanti. (MSNBC -- Health)
New Guideline For Low-back Pain Interventions, Surgery May 18, 2009
18, 2009) A national panel of national pain management experts has published the first comprehensive, evidence-based clinical practice guideline to assist clinicians in prescribing potent opioid pain. (Mar. (Science Daily)
Painkiller Patch Can Lead To Addiction May 18, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 17, 2009) Morphine patches are supposed to reduce use of painkillers, and provide more control over their use in chronic pain conditions. But researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and St. Olavs Hospital in Trondheim have found otherwise. (Science Daily)
The deadly epidemic no one's addressing May 11, 2009
Synthetic or natural opioids are heavily addictive; the long-term neurobiological changes opioid dependency exacts on the brain are profound and make the disease difficult to treat with an outdated infrastructure ... For example, 18,000 individuals were treated in emergency rooms for opioid-related overdoses in 2005. (Boston Globe)
New Guidelines Recommend Opioids for Seniors' Pain May 9, 2009
The original guidelines recommended the use of over-the-counter or prescription NSAIDs and cox-2 inhibitors such as aspirin or ibuprofen before seniors were prescribed an opioid drug to treat persistent pain ... All older patients with moderate to severe pain or diminished quality of life due to pain should be considered for opioid therapy, which may be safer for many patients than long-term use of NSAIDs, according to the updated guidelines. (MEDLINEplus)
RPT-FEATURE-Pills that are Gazans' little helpers May 8, 2009
A synthetic opioid developed by German company Gruenenthal in 1977 to treat moderate to severe pain, Tramal has caught on among Gaza high school students, male and female, said Islam Shahwan, a Hamas police spokesman ... Once in control, Hamas banned sales of natural opioids, but failed to regulate synthetics like Tramal, which its police began to encounter during raids on drug dealers. (AlertNet)
Medical marijuana debate goes local: Compassionate or too risky? May 5, 2009
Some of his patients are on opioid medicines delivered by pill, patch or pumps implanted into a patients body. For most patients, those medicines provide some relief, Benyamin said. (The Pantagraph newspaper)
Terry Rindfleisch: Got back pain? You’re not alone Apr 29, 2009
More than half given a prescription drug received an opioid pain reliever, despite the fact that there is very little research to support their use for acute low-back pain, according to Dr. Orly Avitzur, a board-certified neurologist and medical adviser to Consumers Union. Consumer Reports advises patients if they are told they need surgery, they should get a second opinion from another practitioner, preferably not a surgeon. (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Senior Subjects: Mission impossible for FDA Apr 28, 2009
Then, following a storm of protest April 9: FDA Adopts Interim Plan to Avoid Shortage of Medically Necessary Opioid. They didn t know that a morphine sulfate oral solution is widely used to alleviate pain in terminally ill patients. (Lincoln Journal, MA)
