These news summaries are provided on a weekly basis. Click on the story title to read the entire article. Some stories may have a reply by NFTP. Click on Read our viewpoint at the end of the summary to access the reply. Archives of all stories are provided monthly.

September 26--October 2, 1998

Coping With Cancer Pain (9/29/98)

Patients living with recurrent cancer can tolerate "a tremendous amount of pain" provided they get the right social support, according to American research. The Mayo Medical School and Clinic in Minnesota says the pain of living with recurrent cancer often puts patients on a vicious downward spiral of increasing pain and a reduced ability to function both socially and physically. However, its study of 117 women shows active contact colleagues can help break the cycle and enable patients to cope better with the pain they are experiencing. (Source: BBC Online)

Medtronic Pain Relief Devices Implanted (9/28/98)

Medtronic Inc. this week said that the first human implants of its Synergy neurostimulation system for pain relief have been made. Synergy systems were implanted in an 82-year-old woman with spinal stenosis in Switzerland, and in a 59-year-old man suffering from failed back surgery in Belgium, Medtronic said. Both patients were reported to be recovering normally and experiencing pain relief, the medical devices maker said. (Source: Reuters)

New Web Site Is A Clinical Reference For Pain Control (9/28/98)

Clinicians seeking information on pain control can now access the PainLink web site, an initiative of the Education Development Center, Inc. supported by The Mayday Fund. The PainLink address is http://www.edc.org/PainLink/. (Source: Reuters)

American Pharmed Labs Files IND For Pain Product (9/25/98)

American Pharmed Labs, Inc., a pharmaceutical company focusing on innovative pain relief therapies, this week announced that it has filed an Investigational New Drug Application (IND) with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its first pain treatment product in the U.S., LidoPAIN^(R). APL was established to develop novel therapies for treating mild to severe pain, while minimizing potential side effects. The company expects to introduce prescription and non-prescription pain treatment products in the U.S. and Europe. (Source: Business Wire)

New Study Demonstrates That Advil^(R) Liqui-Gels(R) Provide Faster Relief Of Headache Pain Than Extra Strength Tylenol^(R) (9/25/98)

A new study presented at the 27th Annual Meeting of the American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP), a joint meeting with the Canadian Society for Clinical Pharmacology and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, has demonstrated that Advil^(R) Liqui-Gels^(R) provide faster relief of tension-type headache pain than Extra Strength Tylenol^(R). The findings of this study were reported in The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. (Source: Whitehall-Robbins Healthcare via PR Newswire)