September is National Pain Aware...( SEVERE CHRONIC PAIN - ONE OF COUNT...),Health

SEVERE CHRONIC PAIN - ONE OF COUNTRY'S GREAT HIDDEN HEALTH CRISES - 70

MILLION AMERICANS SUFFER WITHOUT RELIEF Treatment Developed from Sea Snail Offers Relief for Severe Chronic Pain

Sufferers

NEW YORK, Sept. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The under-treatment of pain is one of the most important public health issues facing the United States today, impacting the lives of an estimated one in three Americans, according to the National Pain Foundation. Unfortunately, many patients who suffer from severe chronic pain do not experience long-term relief from available treatments and key aspects of their daily lives -- including normal physical activity, employment, relationships and a multitude of other capacities -- are often severely compromised.(1)

However, hope exists for those who are suffering in the form of a sea snail. Researchers at Elan Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Elan Corporation, plc, have harnessed the venom of the Conus magus sea snail into a non-narcotic alternative to traditional pain medications. PRIALT(R) (ziconotide intrathecal infusion), a synthetic form of a naturally occurring peptide, circumvents concerns over addiction and safety linked to opioid use.

"Chronic pain disrupts an individual's life and can add tremendous physical, emotional and economic burden," said Mary Pat Aardrup, executive director, National Pain Foundation. "Chronic pain is one of the great hidden crises of our time, made all the more urgent by the fact that treatment is often limited mainly to opioid medications that may be inadequate or inappropriate for many patients. PRIALT is an important chapter in the management of severe chronic pain that warrants intrathecal therapy."

Physicians and patients nationwide are discovering the pain-relieving capabilities of PRIALT. Dawn Campbell endured 32 surgeries to relieve severe pain in her bladder, back and legs, including removal of her
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