Thinking the pain away? Study shows the brain's painkillers may cause 'placebo effect'
Sham painkiller prompts brain to release endorphins, bringing real relief to those in pain The study provides the first direct evidence that the brain's own pain-fighting chemicals, called endo...FDA causes unnecessary scare about common painkillers
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has caused an unnecessary scare about some pain relievers by adding a warning to drugs that are safe, says Curt Furberg, M.D., Ph.D., from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. At the same time, he says the agency has failed to recognize the harm of a pain reliever that should be taken off the market. "The FDA is adding 'black box' warnings...Painkillers Do Not Shorten Dying Patients' Lives
According to some British researhers increasing doses of painkillers to ease the agony of terminally ill patients does not shorten their lives.Some health professionals have criticized the practice, comparing it to euthanasia, but doctors at St Christopher's Hospice in London claim patients receiving higher doses of drugs such as morphine live just as long as those who do not. In re...Drug dilemma confronts users of painkillers
The Food and Drug Administration announced that Vioxx - Merck's blockbuster painkiller, would include new information on its label. The FDA said that Merck can claim that Vioxx has fewer gastrointestinal complications// than one older non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, naproxen. But the FDA also decided that the Vioxx label must mention that it might be linked to an increased risk of heart att...Canine Painkiller unveiled by Novartis
Novartis received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin marketing Deramaxx, a canine painkiller, which will be used to relieve post-operative pain in dogs. This drug being produced by a Novartis facility at Puerto Rico //is the result of a development project undertaken by Novartis Animal Health that was run for several years at veterinary clinics, colleges and its manufacturing...Painkillers may protect against Alzheimer's disease
Common painkillers may lower the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, and the longer they are taken the greater the benefit, scientists said on Friday. They reviewed 15 studies that examined the effect of painkillers, known as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and found people who take them are less likely to develop the illness, which is the leading cause of dementia in the elde...