opioids
Mindfulness and meditation better than opioids?
Could mindfulness and meditation be more powerful than opioids for lower back pain? The University of Queensland School of Psychology’s Dr Melissa Day is conducting a project that will test that possibility. “Chronic …
Four reasons codeine should be S4 – but Guild disagrees
A pain specialist and researcher says there’s no evidence of benefit from current codeine-containing OTC products – and that “we can’t have a drug of abuse available over the counter”. …
Research Roundup
Debbie Rigby presents the latest research news relevant to pharmacy Efficacy, Tolerability, and Dose-Dependent Effects of Opioid Analgesics for Low Back Pain Opioid analgesics are commonly used for low back …
Guild responds to opioids feature
Pharmacy Guild executive director has written to the editor of The Good Weekend to congratulate the magazine on its article, The Pain Killers. The feature article, by Stephanie Wood, told …
Call for GPs to develop practice policies on drugs of dependence
An expert is calling for all GPs to develop practice policies that clearly state their approach to prescribing drugs of dependence. “All general practices should have a practice policy on …
Morphine can double pain duration
Instead of helping to overcome chronic pain, morphine can more than double the duration of pain, as well as amplifying its severity, according to new international research involving the University …
Research roundup
The latest in research news, curated by Debbie Rigby Benzodiazepines are Prescribed More Frequently to Patients Already at Risk for Benzodiazepine-Related Adverse Events in Primary Care A one-year longitudinal cohort …
Opioids have minimal benefit in low back pain
New research from The George Institute for Global Health and the University of Sydney has found that opioid painkillers, commonly used in low back pain, provide minimal benefit. The findings …
Pain not being managed with scattergun approach
Prescribers are handing out ‘Endone like lollies’ but pain management remains inadequate, says a pain expert—but pharmacy can help Queensland pharmacist Karalyn Huxhagen, winner of the 2015 PSA Award for …
Opioid misuse: ‘Endone has become the new Panadol.’
In hospitals Endone has become the new Panadol and Australia is going down the same path as the United States when it comes to opioids, say doctors. The doctors were …
Panadol Osteo decision could shift patients to opioids
Stakeholders have expressed disappointment in the PBAC’s restatement of its decision to delist Panadol Osteo, and concerns that patients may turn to stronger alternatives to manage their pain. The PBAC …
Not everyone who takes painkillers for fun is an addict; some have just found a different way to cope
Not everyone who takes painkillers for fun is an addict; some have just found a different way to cope Stephen Tomsen, Western Sydney University and Kev Dertadian, UNSW Australia The …
