Pain News and Research

Latest Pain News and Research

Over-exposure to noise can cause more lasting changes to auditory circuitry

We all know that it can take a little while for our hearing to bounce back after listening to our iPods too loud or attending a raucous concert. But new research at the University of Michigan Health System suggests over-exposure to noise can actually cause more lasting changes to our auditory circuitry - changes that may lead to tinnitus, commonly known as ringing in the ears.

2 Feb 2012

FDA extends Novartis' Gleevec label to three-year treatment in patients with KIT+ GIST after surgery

Novartis announced today that following a priority review, the US Food and Drug Administration has approved an update to the Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) tablets label to recommend 36 months of treatment after surgery for adult patients with KIT (CD117)-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) who met the risk of recurrence inclusion criteria of the pivotal trial.

1 Feb 2012

Brief 10-minute massage helps reduce inflammation in muscle

Researchers at McMaster University have discovered a brief 10-minute massage helps reduce inflammation in muscle.

1 Feb 2012

GSA's new resources address pain management, labeling changes for acetaminophen

The pain suffered by older adults is the shared focus of the two newest entries in The Gerontological Society of America's (GSA) From Publication to Practice series.

1 Feb 2012

Canadian Government announces investment in personalized medicine

The Harper Government today announced an important investment that will help Canadians in getting more effective treatments and make the healthcare system more sustainable through personalized medicine.

1 Feb 2012

BU scientists create unique material and drug delivery mechanism

Long duration, controllable drug delivery is of wide interest to medical researchers and clinicians, particularly those seeking to improve treatment for patients with chronic pain or to prevent cancer recurrence after surgery. Now a team of researchers led by Boston University Biomedical Engineer and Chemist Mark Grinstaff has developed a unique material and drug delivery mechanism that could pave the way for implants that release a drug at a designated rate for months.

1 Feb 2012

RMC first in N.J. to offer TESSYS minimally invasive surgery for patients with herniated discs

Riverview Medical Center, part of Meridian Neuroscience, today announced it is the only hospital in the state of New Jersey to offer patients the TESSYS surgery method, a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of herniated discs.

1 Feb 2012

General anesthesia may lower recurrence risk in patients with HCC

For patients undergoing a minimally invasive treatment for liver cancer, the risk of recurrent cancer appears lower with general anesthesia compared to regional (epidural) anesthesia, reports a study in the February issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

1 Feb 2012

Continuous wound infusion with local anesthetic reduces pain after hip surgery

In patients undergoing hip replacement surgery, using a special wound catheter to infuse local anesthetic directly into the hip joint provides significant and lasting improvements in postoperative pain control, reports a study in the February issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

1 Feb 2012

Early retirement due to back problems reduces long-term financial capacity

Back problems are a highly prevalent health issue, and people with the condition have a significantly greater chance of retiring early from the workforce, much more so than for any other health condition. A group of Australian researchers reports that not only does early retirement limit the immediate income available to these individuals, but it also reduces their long-term financial capacity, by reducing their ability to accumulate wealth to a significant degree.

1 Feb 2012

Preliminary results from CINJ's Celebrex and Lipitor Phase II combination trial on prostrate cancer

Research from The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) on the FDA-approved drugs Celebrex and Lipitor -- used respectively for arthritis pain and lowering cholesterol -- shows that these drugs are well tolerated in the treatment of recurrent prostate cancer.

1 Feb 2012

CartiHeal secures $5M in venture funding

CartiHeal (2009), Ltd, a privately held medical device company, focused on developing and bringing to market a proprietary, off-the-shelf, and cell-free cartilage regeneration technology, announced that it raised $5 million in venture funding from two US-Israeli venture capital firms, Accelmed and Access Medical Ventures. The financing will be used to prepare its first product launch early 2013 in Europe.

1 Feb 2012

Study finds sharp increase in BMP use for spinal fusion surgery

The use of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) for spinal fusion surgery has risen sharply over the past decade, increasing costs with no evidence of improved outcomes, reports study in the February 1 issue of Spine.

1 Feb 2012

Novartis' Gleevec receives FDA approval for use in patients with CD117-positive GIST

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted Gleevec (imatinib) regular approval for use in adult patients following surgical removal of CD117-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

1 Feb 2012

New combination clinical trial may improve outcome for cancer surgery patients

The week before and two weeks after surgery are a critical period for the long-term survival rate of cancer patients. Physiological and psychological stresses caused by the surgery itself can inhibit the body's immune responses, heightening vulnerability to tumor progression and spreading.

1 Feb 2012

FDA approves Lannett's supplemental ANDA for Phentermine HCl to treat obesity

Lannett Company, Inc. today announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its supplemental Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Phentermine HCl Capsules, 15 mg.

1 Feb 2012

Roundtable discusses importance and potential benefits of palliative care in the ICU

If you think palliative care and the ICU don't go together, think again. The importance and potential benefits of palliative care to ease suffering and improve quality of life for patients being treated in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) has received increasing recognition but is not without significant challenges, as discussed in a Roundtable discussion in Journal of Palliative Medicine, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

1 Feb 2012

Major effort to tackle neglected tropical diseases

Thirteen drug companies, the governments of the United States, Britain and the United Arab Emirates, the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Lions Club and other smaller charitable organizations on Monday announced a joint effort to tackle 10 neglected tropical diseases in a coordinated fashion.

31 Jan 2012

Indoco, DSM sign agreement for commercial cooperation for eight APIs

Royal DSM N.V., today announced the signing of an agreement with Indoco Remedies Limited, Mumbai, India, for commercial cooperation for eight Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs). The alliance came into effect in January 2012.

31 Jan 2012

Takeda returns POSIDUR development and commercialization rights to DURECT

DURECT Corporation today reported that Takeda has given notice that it is returning its development and commercialization rights to POSIDUR in Europe and their other licensed territories.

31 Jan 2012