Category: Pain Medications

New drug trial to test endometriosis treatment

Endometriosis treatmentPharmaceutical companies Abbott Laboratories and its partner Neurocrine Biosciences have begun a late-stage trial of their endometriosis treatment drug, elagolix.

The firms have announced a 24-week Phase III trial of elagolix, an oral gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist that will be tested in 875 women from 18-49 years old, with moderate to severe endometriosis associated pain. It will be conducted at around 160 sites in North America.

The trial and exploration of the effectiveness of elagolix is an important step in finding potential treatments for this underserved patient population. Phase III trial has begun screening for enrollment and a second late-stage study is being planned. The firm hopes to file a New Drug Application in 2016.

Abbott earned rights to elagolix in June 2010 and the deal could be worth $575 million. It has been estimated that 100 million women worldwide suffer from endometriosis, which is associated with a multitude of symptoms. Some of the most common include pain related both to menstruation as well as chronic pelvic pain throughout the menstrual cycle, and is a leading cause of infertility.

Abbott also noted that the annual costs of endometriosis are estimated to exceed $20 billion in the USA alone.

IVF NY offers online consultations to couples who may be having difficulty conceiving as a result of ineffective endometriosis treatment.

Strict Controls Placed on Painkiller Prescriptions

New strict controls that are designed to closely monitor painkiller prescriptions have been put in place to make sure that doctors do not over-prescribe this highly addictive group of drugs known as opioids.

According to an article in the New York Times yesterday, some doctors are finding it very hard to work under these new conditions as painkillers are the most commonly prescribed class of medications in the United States. In fact, over the last ten years, painkiller prescriptions have quadrupled.

Personal injury doctor Tyler Texas specialists at CareFirst work under the principle that opioids are powerful drugs and they must be taken as exactly as directed. Their close supervision and strict policies help prevent patients from having access to more than the medication needed for their condition.

Other doctors, however, according to Dr. C. Richard Chapman, the director of the Pain Research Center at the University of Utah, (quoted in the New York Times), are “prescribing like crazy”. While the highly addictive nature of these drugs is well-know, according to federal data there is only limited evidence of their long-term effectiveness or risks.  Without completely understanding how patients are affected long-term by opiates, some doctors may be putting patients at great risk unknowingly.

Personal injury Doctor Tyler Texas pain specialists at CareFirst Medical Centers offers a comprehensive range of services for patients with acute or chronic pain.