Published on December 29, 2016 by Dr. Najib Babul Neuropathic pain is pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system, or put more simply, pain due to injury to sensory nerves. Neuropathic pain can be broadly divided into peripheral neuropathic pain and central neuropathic pain. Until relatively recently,…
Physicians attempting to provide palliative care services in developing countries to patients with advanced cancer or HIV/AIDs face substantial hurdles because of opiophobia, an exaggerated fear about the risks of opioid analgesic use. Dr. Najib Babul, an accomplished developer of medicines to treat pain discusses how entrenched opiophobia has adversely impacted the delivery of pain…
Pharmaceutical support services company United BioSource Corporation (UBC) recently launched a marketing campaign celebrating the successes of the pharmaceutical industry, from advancements in HIV, hepatitis C and oncology, to everyday acts of helping patients and answering caregivers’ questions. Amidst a customarily antagonistic media environment “Pharma Heroes” highlights the individual contributions that impact countless patient lives…
Each year, 1.7 billion citizens of developing countries need treatment for neglected diseases, according to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2016 World Health Statistics. In a dynamic global environment, pharmaceutical companies face myriad obstacles in supplying poverty stricken communities with necessary medicines and vaccines. Shareholders often question such pursuits, as the cost-benefit matrix of developing…
Neuropathic pain is pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system, or put more simply, pain due to injury to sensory nerves. Neuropathic pain can be broadly divided into peripheral neuropathic pain and central neuropathic pain. Until relatively recently, a limited number of older tricyclic antidepressants and anti-epileptics…
The pharmaceutical R&D environment has become increasingly challenging due to rising costs, inefficient and complex drug development, high attrition and long regulatory review cycles. The success rate in bringing new drugs to market is rather low, with only about 11.3% of drugs that enter human trials receiving marketing approval, according to the Center for the…
Chronic pain is a major public health problem that afflicts a significant number of patients, resulting in personal suffering, reduced productivity, and increased health care costs. A report from the National Academy of Medicine states that chronic pain affects approximately 100 million adults in the U.S. and costs the economy over $600 billion annually, a…
Fibromyalgia is a common medical condition characterized by chronic widespread muscle pain, fatigue, and sleep disturbance affecting two to three percent of the total population. It is five to ten times more common in women than men, increases with age and can also be worsened by many factors, including physical trauma and emotional stress. Dr.…
Clinical management of pain requires a careful assessment of its history, including frequency, intensity, duration and quality of pain, as well as the impact of pain on daily activities. The accuracy and reliability of a patient’s recollection of pain are key in choosing treatment options, such as surgery, drug therapy or physical therapy. Unfortunately, clinicians…
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