Phase I trial volunteer dies as five others are hospitalised One person has died and five more have been hospitalised after taking part in a phase I clinical trial in France.…
The Pharmaceutical Journal’s top 5 comment pieces of 2015 Junk food tax, statins prescribing and opioid painkiller addiction were among the most read topics in the opinion section in 2015.…
Study supports bypassing weak opioids for strong opioids in cancer pain Most patients given low-dose morphine, a strong opioid, achieved pain reduction of at least 20%, researchers find.…
Study casts doubt on paracetamol use for managing flu symptoms Taking paracetamol to manage influenza makes no difference in terms of fighting the virus, reducing patients’ temperature or alleviating other symptoms, according to new research.…
Capsaicin patch as effective as pregabalin for peripheral neuropathic pain Head-to-head study shows capsaicin patch is just as effective for peripheral neuropathic pain as standard pregabalin treatment.…
Understanding the mind of a prescription drug addict ‘The bitter taste of dying: a memoir’, by Jason Smith.…
FDA approves nasal spray for opioid overdoses The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the first ever nasal spray for the emergency treatment of opioid overdoses manifested by respiratory and/or central nervous system depression.…
Combining naproxen with other analgesics does not improve low back pain A ten-day course of naproxen and placebo was just as effective at relieving low back pain as naproxen combined with other pain medications.…
Study supports safety of medical cannabis for chronic pain Patients with chronic pain who medicate with cannabis were at no higher risk of serious adverse events than patients who did not take cannabis.…
Use of sedatives and analgesics in infants vary widely across Europe A study of neonatal intensive care units in Europe revealed a lack of consistency in the use of sedatives and analgesics, which are potentialy neurotoxic in newborns.…