Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Democrats consider scaling back health reform package

ABC News interviewed President Barack Obama, who said: "The Senate certainly shouldn't try to jam anything through until Scott Brown is seated. People in Massachusetts spoke. He's got to be part of that process. ... I think point number two is that it is very important to look at the substance of this package and for the American people to understand that a lot of the fear mongering around this bill isn't true. I would advise that we try to move quickly to coalesce around those elements of the package that people agree on" (Stephanopoulos, 1/20).

21 Jan 2010

Depomed receives second $500,000 milestone payment from Covidien

Depomed, Inc. announced today that it has received a second $500,000 milestone payment under its worldwide license agreement with Covidien focusing on the exclusive development of four acetaminophen/opioid analgesic combination products utilizing Depomed’s Acuform® gastric retentive drug delivery technology. The most recent payment from Covidien, which was received in December 2009, relates to the development of a formulation for the second product candidate under the collaboration.

21 Jan 2010

Enrollment complete in Vertos Medical's U.S. IRB I "mild" procedure Patient Outcomes Trial

Medical device company Vertos Medical Inc. has announced the completion of enrollment in its post-market U.S. IRB (Institutional Review Board) I Patient Outcomes Trial, a 75-patient study of the mild procedure. The open-label, single-arm, prospective, IRB-approved study is intended to gather patient outcomes data following treatment for symptomatic central canal spinal stenosis using proprietary mild devices. Results from the trial, which is being conducted by 14 investigators at academic and private practice settings across the United States, are expected to be published during 2010.

21 Jan 2010

ABC publishes Pycnogenol monograph

The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) has just published a monograph summarizing selected scientific and clinical studies of Pycnogenol®, a patented dietary ingredient from French maritime pine bark.

21 Jan 2010

Mirror therapy before amputation may prevent phantom limb pain

A simple technique called mirror therapy seems effective in preventing phantom limb pain in patients undergoing amputation of an arm or leg, suggests a study in the February 2010 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

21 Jan 2010

Outcomes for STEMI patients improve with early treatment intervention

A recent study found that individuals experiencing chest pain who had electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG) assessments prior to arriving at the hospital experienced a significantly reduced time-to-treatment or door-to-balloon (D2B) time.

21 Jan 2010

InterLingua Medical Publishing introduces Medical Point2's to solve language barriers in health care

According to US Census, some 37 million Americans five years of age and older —nearly one in eight residents of this country—speak a language other than English at home.

21 Jan 2010

Research shows controlled breathing can reduce pain

Research performed by a scientist at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has shown that controlled breathing at a slowed rate can significantly reduce feelings of pain.

21 Jan 2010

Lantheus Medical Imaging announces the launch of ABLAVAR

Lantheus Medical Imaging, Inc., a worldwide leader in diagnostic imaging, today announced the launch of ABLAVAR™ (gadofosveset trisodium), a unique, injectable MRA imaging agent used to evaluate aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) in adults with known or suspected peripheral vascular disease (PVD).

20 Jan 2010

$SIR supports use of vertebral augmentation for patients with spine fractures$

SIR supports use of vertebral augmentation for patients with spine fractures

Given the current controversy over vertebroplasty-a minimally invasive treatment performed by interventional radiologists in individuals with painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures that fail to respond to conventional medical therapy-what's a patient to do?

20 Jan 2010

Parents advised to use fluoridated toothpaste to prevent tooth decay in their children

Parents should use toothpastes that contain fluoride with a minimum concentration of 1,000 parts per million to prevent tooth decay in their children, says a new report. Preventing tooth decay can help reduce the need for extensive and costly dental treatments, including extractions.

20 Jan 2010

Sitting in reclined position may help alleviate back pain

Here's some news that 80 percent of the U.S. population should take sitting down. According to a nationwide survey, a majority (68 percent) of primary care physicians say they are likely to recommend that a patient sit in a reclined position to help alleviate back pain – a suggestion that should come as welcome news to the 8 out of every 10 Americans who will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.

20 Jan 2010

Taking opioids long term could hold small risk of addition

Coping with chronic non-cancer pain is a way of life for millions of Americans. Unfortunately, many older adults, in particular, hesitate to take opioids — a kind of narcotic — for fear of addiction. However, a new review finds that taking opioids long term is associated with clinically significant pain relief in some patients with a very small risk of addition.

20 Jan 2010

Intelligent panic disorder treatment by using biofeedback analysis and web technologies

An online treatment system for patients suffering with panic disorder and anxiety problems combine biofeedback therapy with web technologies and allows patients and medical professionals to communicate effectively, according to research published in the International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining.

20 Jan 2010

Diamyd Medical executes share split

Diamyd Medical announces today that the company executes a 2:1 division of shares (i.e. a split), meaning that each share is divided into two shares of the same class.

20 Jan 2010

New minimally invasive surgery for lung cancer reduces post-operative pain

Generally, after traditional open-chest surgery for lung cancer, patients may experience a significant amount of pain and spend up to a week in the hospital followed by months recovering.

20 Jan 2010

Officials debate merits of medical marijuana as coping tool in pain fight

As access to medical marijuana becomes more widespread, officials are debating its use as a pain-coping treatment and are easing rules for the sick to use the drug, The Wall Street Journal reports. "The U.S. Department of Justice has said it will not generally prosecute ill people under doctors' care whose use of the drug complies with state rules. New Jersey will become the 14th state to allow therapeutic use of marijuana, and the number is likely to grow. Illinois and New York, among others, are considering new laws."

20 Jan 2010

Endo Pharmaceuticals' partners receive Paragraph IV Certification Notice regarding LIDODERM

Endo Pharmaceuticals announced today that its partners, Teikoku Seiyaku Co., Ltd. and Teikoku Pharma USA, Inc. have received a Paragraph IV Certification Notice from Watson Laboratories, Inc. advising of the filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for a generic version of LIDODERM® (lidocaine topical patch 5%).

20 Jan 2010

JDRF and BD join to develop novel insulin delivery products for treatment of type 1 diabetes

The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) announced today an innovative program aimed at improving the treatment of type 1 diabetes by developing novel insulin delivery products to enhance the use of insulin pumps.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 20 Jan 2010

Antibiotic drops are safe and effective for treating swimmer's ear

When treating the pain and inflammation of swimmer's ear, antibiotic drops are the most effective — and safest - therapy, finds a new review of studies.

20 Jan 2010