Codeine News and Research

RSS

Powerful painkiller on its way to the market: Experts worry about addiction woes

Drug makers are on their way to a pure, more powerful version of the nation’s second most-abused medicine, which has addiction experts worried that it could spur a new wave of abuse. The new pills contain the highly addictive painkiller hydrocodone, packing up to 10 times the amount of the drug as existing medications such as Vicodin.

28 Dec 2011

Study: Opioid drugs can increase risk of pneumonia in older adults

Opioids -- a class of medicines commonly given for pain -- were associated with a higher risk of pneumonia in a study of 3,061 adults, aged 65 to 94, e-published in advance of publication in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

23 Sep 2011

New study aims to reduce number of pediatric pharmaceutical poisoning

Pharmaceutical poisoning remains a common childhood injury, despite years of concerted prevention efforts, such as improved safe guards on packaging. Over half a million children are exposed to pharmaceuticals each year. A new study soon to be published in The Journal of Pediatrics attempts to understand this growing problem to aid in the progress of reducing the number of childhood injuries due to pharmaceutical poisoning.

16 Sep 2011

Oxycodone no safer than codeine for breastfed infants: New study

Doctors have been prescribing codeine for postpartum pain management for many years, and, until recently, it was considered safe to breastfeed while taking the opioid. But the death of an infant exposed to codeine through breast milk has many health care providers questioning the safety of the drug when used by breastfeeding mothers.

7 Sep 2011

Study aims to describe and understand current issues on OTC medicine addiction

A report of a study investigating over the counter medicine (OTC) abuse published by the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust provides evidence that there is a group of individuals experiencing a range of problems often with codeine-based medicines purchased from pharmacies, and for whom help and support varied.

5 Sep 2011

Nurofen mix up with Seroquel schizophrenia drug warns MHRA

British drug regulators have issued a safety alert on Thursday after discovering packs of the over-the-counter painkiller Nurofen Plus containing the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel XL.

26 Aug 2011

Study explores factors for misuse of prescription opioid in young injection drug users

A new study by researchers at Drexel University's School of Public Health suggests that abuse of prescription painkillers may be an important gateway to the use of injected drugs such as heroin, among people with a history of using both types of drugs.

25 Jul 2011

NUROMOL non-prescription painkiller now available in pharmacies across the UK

A new non-prescription painkiller is now available in pharmacies across the UK, heralding the first UK painkiller combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol in 'over-the-counter' pain relief.

28 Jun 2011

Endo's complete response for new formulation of OPANA ER NDA accepted by the FDA

Endo Pharmaceuticals announced today that it received notification from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that Endo's complete response to the FDA's Jan. 7, 2011 Action Letter relating to Endo's new drug application (NDA) for a new formulation of OPANA ER has been accepted.

24 Jun 2011

Anticholinergic drugs might increase risk of cognitive impairment, death in older people

A side effect of many commonly used drugs appears to increase the risks of both cognitive impairment and death in older people, according to new research led by the University of East Anglia.

24 Jun 2011

Some drug mixtures may be fatal for elderly: study

British scientists warn that well known brands of hay fever tablets, painkillers and sleeping pills pose a previously unknown threat to elderly people’s health when taken together. Many are available over the counter at pharmacies as well as being prescribed by GPs, nurses and chemists they said.

23 Jun 2011

SNP identification may help predict patients’ susceptibility to postoperative nausea and vomiting

There are several anesthetic complications that may have a hereditary background, including postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Past observations have shown PONV to occur in blood relatives as far back as two to three generations.

23 Jun 2011

Pernix first quarter net revenues increase 14% to $10.1 million

Pernix Therapeutics Holdings, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company primarily focused on the pediatric market, today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2011.

17 May 2011

Prescriptions for narcotic-containing drugs often contain too much medication per dose

Parents who give young children prescription painkillers should take extra care to make sure they give just the right amount. What they may be surprised to learn, however, is that the dose given to them by the pharmacy could be too high, according to research to be presented Saturday, April 30, at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Denver.

30 Apr 2011

Facts become greatest casualty in war on pain medications

The Florida Society of Pain Management Providers urges Government, Law Enforcement and the media to stop using false prescription drug data and statistics. The continued release of false and / or out of context information is solely intended to enflame the public. The misinformation that unfairly portrays Florida as ground zero in this issue has significant consequences for pain management patients and the physicians who provide legitimate care.

22 Apr 2011

Ibuprofen - painkiller toxicity warning

In a recent development, doctors have warned regarding the possibly toxicities of common pain killer Ibuprofen adding that it can lead to a potentially fatal condition which can be triggered, in rare cases, by even a standard dose. The condition in question is called renal tubular acidosis (RTA). The research is published in the Medical Journal of Australia.

21 Mar 2011

New research: Retired NFL players more likely to misuse painkillers

Retired NFL players use painkillers at a much higher rate than the rest of us, according to new research conducted by investigators at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

28 Jan 2011

FDA asks manufacturers to eliminate higher-dose prescription combination acetaminophen products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking manufacturers of prescription combination products that contain acetaminophen to limit the amount of acetaminophen to no more than 325 milligrams in each tablet or capsule.

14 Jan 2011

Sucampo, Takeda initiate dosing in third lubiprostone phase 3 trial for opioid-induced bowel dysfunction

Sucampo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. today announced the dosing of the first patient in the third phase 3 clinical trial of lubiprostone for the treatment of opioid-induced bowel dysfunction (OBD) in subjects with chronic, non-cancer pain, excluding those taking methadone. The primary endpoint is an overall responder rate based on the change from baseline in the reported frequency of spontaneous bowel movements (SBMs).

7 Jan 2011

New cough suppressant from cocoa

People suffering from persistent cough may soon have a remedy that is derived from cocoa. At present researchers are carrying out the final stages of clinical trials of a drug that contains theobromine, an ingredient found in chocolate and cocoa. The drug could be in the market in another two years.

22 Dec 2010