I never cease to be amazed by the unending list of new discoveries by scientists, researchers, and doctors worldwide. This time, doctors at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York have tested a way to program a virus to deliver a specific gene (the one associated with the pain-killing effects of certain opiates) directly to the pain receptors in a patient suffering from Chronic Pain.
The press release, published on Monday, January 21, 2008, states that doctors are hopeful that this will create a way to relieve pain for up to three months after a single treatment, and without the negative side effects that opiates might normally cause.
If their discovery pans out, perhaps Dr. House will no longer have an excuse to continue his self-imposed Vicodin treatment. (I know... It's only television).
At any rate, the researchers are optimistic about the possibility of future testing in human patients.
(Press Release)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Pain-killers... without the side effects.
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Sounds good but don't start celebrating just yet. This type of treatment is not new; it has been tried in various forms for many years as a means of delivering cancer killing agents to people with advanced cancers. Theoretically it should work, but in practice it does not.
I hope this time there are better results. I just don't think I'll see them in my lifetime.
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