Journal of pain & palliative care pharmacotherapy
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2008
Case ReportsManagement of pain due to sickle cell disease.
Assessment of pain in sickle cell disease is briefly described and a case of a 32-year-old Nigerian woman who had sickle cell pain is presented. The management and outcomes of her care in the UK are described and commentaries are presented on this case of sickle cell pain by specialists from Spain and The Netherlands.
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On September 13, 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration posted a safety alert for fentanyl buccal tablets (Fentora). The announcement and hyperlinks to the Dear Doctor and Dear Healthcare Professional Letters that were distributed by the sponsor are presented.
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Multiple same-day prescriptions for Schedule II medications offer the flexibility to provide continuous access to necessary medication without requiring that stabilized patients unnecessarily visit their prescriber on a monthly basis. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration recently promulgated a new regulation that specifically authorizes the use of multiple prescriptions. This is a change in policy within the agency. Health care professionals must communicate to each other that this useful practice is now recognized as being completely legal.
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J Pain Palliat Care Pharmacother · Jan 2008
Awareness and action for eliminating health care disparities in pain care: Web-based resources.
Evidence shows that disparities in pain care exist, and this problem spans across all health care settings. Health care disparities are complex, and stem from the health system climate, limitations imposed by laws and regulations, and discriminatory practices that are deep seated in biases, stereotypes, and uncertainties surrounding communication and decision-making processes. ⋯ Web sites for federal agencies, private foundations, and professional and consumer-oriented organizations provide useful information on disparities related to age, race, ethnicity, geography, socioeconomic status, and specific populations. The contents of 10 Web sites are examined for resources to assist health professionals and consumers in better understanding health and pain disparities and ways to overcome them in practice.
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Progress in our understanding of the roles of genetics in pain and its management is described. New techniques are discussed, along with some potential uses of gene therapy. Relative gene expression, polymorphisms, and specific genes that influence interindividual responses to pharmacotherapy for pain are described.