Opioids News and Research

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An opioid is a chemical that works by binding to opioid receptors, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. The receptors in these two organ systems mediate both the beneficial effects and the side effects of opioids.

Drug use associated with increased risk of fatal crash involvement

Drugged driving has been a safety issue of increasing public concern in the United States and many other countries but its role in motor vehicle crashes had not been adequately examined. In a new study conducted at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, researchers assessed the association of driver drug use, as well as the combination of drugs and alcohol, with the risk of fatal crash.

26 Sep 2013

Frequency of marijuana use not linked to health services utilization or health status

Researchers from Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine have found frequency of marijuana use was not significantly associated with health services utilization or health status. These findings currently appear online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

24 Sep 2013

Preoperative auto-titrated CPAP treatment benefits patients with OSA after surgery

An estimated 80 percent of patients who have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) go undiagnosed, including Deanna G. McNeil, a 72-year-old nurse from Toronto. Before hip replacement surgery in 2010, Deanna completed the STOP-Bang questionnaire, created by Frances Chung, M.B.B.S., professor, Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto, Ontario. Based on the questionnaire, Deanna was suspected to have OSA.

19 Sep 2013

AAPM commends FDA’s move to introduce labeling changes on ER/LA opioids

The physicians of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) hailed long-awaited labeling changes and other steps taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last week to enhance safety in the prescribing of extended-release and long-acting (ER/LA) opioids.

18 Sep 2013

Relmada Therapeutics collaborates with the Malvern Consulting Group

Relmada Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage company developing novel therapies for the treatment of chronic pain, today announced that has signed a collaboration agreement with the Malvern Consulting Group as clinical and regulatory advisor.

16 Sep 2013

Study: Opioid prescribing for non-cancer pain increases

Prescribing of strong opioid medications for non-cancer pain in the United States has nearly doubled over the past decade, reports a study in the October issue of Medical Care, published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.

16 Sep 2013

Using large doses of codeine may heighten sensitivity to pain

Using large and frequent doses of the pain-killer codeine may actually produce heightened sensitivity to pain, without the same level of relief offered by morphine, according to new research from the University of Adelaide.

13 Sep 2013

FDA takes steps to restrict the use of pain meds

The Food and Drug Administration will require a class-wide label change for long-acting opioids aimed at limiting use of these drugs to patients with severe, refractory pain.

12 Sep 2013

First Edition: September 11, 2013

Today's headlines include reports that some House GOP lawmakers are taking a hard line against funding for the health law in the ongoing debate about raising the nation's debt limit.

11 Sep 2013

Safety labeling changes announced for extended-release and long-acting opioid analgesics

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced class-wide safety labeling changes and new postmarket study requirements for all extended-release and long-acting opioid analgesics intended to treat pain.

11 Sep 2013

Relmada Therapeutics reports positive results from pivotal pharmacokinetic study of LevoCap ER

Relmada Therapeutics Inc., a clinical-stage company developing novel therapies for the treatment of chronic pain, today announced a positive outcome of its pivotal pharmacokinetic study for LevoCap ER. Based on the positive outcome of this study, Relmada is now preparing the Phase III development program and is planning to submit a request with the FDA to discuss the final pathway to the New Drug Application for this product during the fourth quarter of this year.

10 Sep 2013

FDA schedules meeting on 3 October to discuss QRxPharma's MOXDUO NDA for acute pain

QRxPharma Limited announced today the United States Food and Drug Administration has scheduled a meeting on 3 October to discuss the Company's MOXDUO New Drug Application for the treatment of moderate to severe acute pain.

6 Sep 2013

Mallinckrodt to present MNK-795 clinical data at PAINWeek 2013

Mallinckrodt announced today that the first clinical data on MNK-795 will be presented at PAINWeek 2013, to be held September 4-7 in Las Vegas. MNK-795 is an extended-release oral formulation of oxycodone and acetaminophen that has been studied in clinical trials for the management of moderate to severe acute pain where the use of an opioid analgesic is appropriate.

29 Aug 2013

Reformulated OxyContin®: an interview with Dr. Paul Coplan, Executive Director, Risk Management and Epidemiology, Purdue Pharma

OxyContin contains oxycodone, which is an opioid agonist. It is used for the management of moderate to severe pain when a constant opioid analgesic is needed for a prolonged period of time.

29 Aug 2013

Opioid dependence causes greatest health burden of all illicit drugs

The first ever analysis of the global and regional prevalence of dependence upon the four major categories of illicit drugs – amphetamine, cannabis, cocaine, and opioids (such as heroin) – has revealed that opioid dependence causes the greatest health burden (overall death and illness) of all the illicit drugs. The results come from new analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, and are published in The Lancet.

29 Aug 2013

Ingestion of strong opioids can cause central nervous system depression, death in young children

Medication poisonings among children are an important public health problem. During 2010-2011, an average of 1500 children under 6 years of age was evaluated in emergency departments each year due to unintentional exposure to buprenorphine. Ingestion of strong opioids, such as buprenorphine, can cause central nervous system depression, respiratory depression, and death in young children.

29 Aug 2013

Researchers develop new opioid drug for chronic pain

A team of researchers led by Andrew Coop, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, has developed a new opioid drug that shows great potential to advance treatment and improve quality of life for individuals living with chronic pain.

29 Aug 2013

Report shows nonmedical use of pain relievers may increase risk of using heroin later

A new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) shows that people aged 12 to 49 who had used prescription pain relievers nonmedically were 19 times more likely to have initiated heroin use recently (within the past 12 months of being interviewed) than others in that age group (0.39 percent versus 0.02 percent).

23 Aug 2013

American Pain Society sponsors two educational symposia at PAINWeek

The American Pain Society strongly believes professional and consumer education programs can achieve significant benefits for patients by improving clinicians' knowledge regarding optimal approaches for assessing and treating chronic pain.

19 Aug 2013

Few physicians receive adequate training to help patients with chronic pain

Pain is the most common reason a patient sees a physician but few physicians have received adequate training to help their patients, according to a Henry Ford Hospital article published in the Journal of American Osteopathic Association.

13 Aug 2013

Opioids News and Research

Further Reading

Drug use associated with increased risk of fatal crash involvement

Frequency of marijuana use not linked to health services utilization or health status

Preoperative auto-titrated CPAP treatment benefits patients with OSA after surgery

AAPM commends FDA’s move to introduce labeling changes on ER/LA opioids

Relmada Therapeutics collaborates with the Malvern Consulting Group

Study: Opioid prescribing for non-cancer pain increases

Using large doses of codeine may heighten sensitivity to pain

FDA takes steps to restrict the use of pain meds

First Edition: September 11, 2013

Safety labeling changes announced for extended-release and long-acting opioid analgesics

Relmada Therapeutics reports positive results from pivotal pharmacokinetic study of LevoCap ER

FDA schedules meeting on 3 October to discuss QRxPharma's MOXDUO NDA for acute pain

Mallinckrodt to present MNK-795 clinical data at PAINWeek 2013

Reformulated OxyContin®: an interview with Dr. Paul Coplan, Executive Director, Risk Management and Epidemiology, Purdue Pharma

Opioid dependence causes greatest health burden of all illicit drugs

Ingestion of strong opioids can cause central nervous system depression, death in young children

Researchers develop new opioid drug for chronic pain

Report shows nonmedical use of pain relievers may increase risk of using heroin later

American Pain Society sponsors two educational symposia at PAINWeek

Few physicians receive adequate training to help patients with chronic pain

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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