Dr Kessler can make the statement that there is no appropriate clinical studies about the use of opiates for long term pain management. All such studies that I have seen have been stopped at 12 weeks out of the concern of the studies lead over possible addictions/dependency. Unfortunately, long term use of opiate treatment for chronic pain is defined as the routine taking of opiates for pain for > 90 days.
The 12 week studies is only 84 days…so were they intentionally stopped to avoid having a clinical study that reached the legal definition of > 90 days on opiates ? One can be guess at the reasons this is done, but it gives Dr Kessler and others to claim that there is no valid clinical studies that document long term opiate use is safe and effective.
Filed under: General Problems
“stopped at 12 weeks out of the concern of the studies lead over possible addictions/dependency. Unfortunately, long term use of opiate treatment for chronic pain is defined as the routine taking of opiates for pain for > 90 days.”
That’s about as perfect a circular argument as can be imagined, ain’t it?
There’s a great review article (Meske et al Journal of Pain Research 2018:11 923-934) on the efficacy of opioids in chronic pain. It was done in response to the epically atrocious anti-opioid Chou et al, Annals of Internal Medicine, Feb 2015 review (often cited by opiophobes)…which stands vividly in my mind as one of the worst journal articles I’ve ever read. And I’ve read literally tens of thousands; quite an accomplishment.
I was under the impression that most of the studies were short term because it was deemed unethical to force people in pain to go without pain relief for long periods of time (an ethical stance the country doesn’t share).
Hhmmm what about the 30 year research Dr Forrest Tennant has performed on long term use of opioid medication? Amazing that this has been overlooked on all his clinical studies during his 40+ year tenure as a noted specialized Pain physician for intractable pain patients
U know here is another truth they all refuse to admit..To define anyone a addict,it is a opinion,,,there is no factual/medical way to confirm a addiction,,is there??I mean can someone show me where I can find the blood test,the mri,,the catscann,,that will show me the physical medical proof,that one is addicted,,or is it like I belief,,nothing more then some shrinks opinion,LIKE KOLODNYS??HOW CONVEINANT,,NO MEDICAL PROOF,,TO PRIOVE ADDICTION,SOOO WE JUS HAVE ,”TRUST,” SOME SHRINK,WHO HAS A HUGE FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO DEEM ANYOF US ADDICTS/a little corrupted WOULDN;T ANY NORMAL REASONABLE TRUTHFUL HUMANBEING WOULD CONCLUDE?!,,Also,,from here on out,,,where are the video’s of all this bullshit research claiming addiction as their conclusion,,say outof minnesota,,where is the video of this conclusion that Tylenol works better then opiate medicine,,,i want to see it said in their own words,,not some opiate phobia base territory of Andrew Kolodys!!!marywr
A scientific study requires a control group. canarensis, above has the right idea. Dr. Tennant’s work and evidence certainly shouldn’t be dismissed at all but you simply have to have a specific, methodical scientific study that can be exactly replicated. There is plenty of quality anecdotal evidence of the safety and efficacy of opioids for pain relief dating back thousands of years.
“The earliest reference to opium (the “natural” source of opiates) dates back to 3400 B.C., when poppies were cultivated in lower Mesopotamia. Around 460-357 B.C., Hippocrates, the “father of medicine,” acknowledged opium’s usefulness as a narcotic. He prescribed drinking the juice of the white poppy mixed with the seed of nettle.”
“Opioids have been regarded for millennia as among the most effective drugs for the treatment of pain. Their use in the management of acute severe pain and chronic pain related to advanced medical illness is considered the standard of care in most of the world.”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2711509/#S2title