The drug, Journavx, from Vertex Pharmaceuticals, reduced pain after surgery in clinical trials. Experts hope it can lead to fewer opioid prescriptions.
I have chronic pain and I’m all for innovation in the realm of pain management, but I personally won’t even think about taking that drug for many, many years. Fucking with sodium channels sounds super dangerous. There are so many variables they just could not have tested or even guessed at. It also doesn’t help that if there’s an adverse reaction to be had, I’m gonna have it.
It targets a sodium channel that only exists in pain neurons, called NAV1.8, or SCN10A. It’s not found elsewhere in the body. The whole reason this research is exciting is because it would be so specific it wouldn’t have the side effects seen with opioids or any anesthetic for that matter—central depression, which is what causes your breathing to stop.
It is very interesting and amazing stuff, no doubt about that. The future of medicine is only going to get more amazing, but I suppose I just really have very little confidence in that space because of a lack of understanding in oddball humans like myself who have somewhat bizarre physiology. For the vast majority of people, I think having a pain medication that doesn’t also slowly kill you is obviously a net positive.
I’m with you. A good 5+ year lag after FDA approval is a good idea if that’s an option. That being said, the FDA is generally good with drug safety and these studies look good.
I definitely look forward to a future where I might not have to consume NSAIDS like candy anymore, because those are definitely doing some real damage.
Just you wait until RFK Jr is all up in that FDA pipeline. You think the brain worm controlling his corpse is going to just sit at the head of HHS and not try to force changes wherever he can remotely pry?
I have chronic pain and I’m all for innovation in the realm of pain management, but I personally won’t even think about taking that drug for many, many years. Fucking with sodium channels sounds super dangerous. There are so many variables they just could not have tested or even guessed at. It also doesn’t help that if there’s an adverse reaction to be had, I’m gonna have it.
It targets a sodium channel that only exists in pain neurons, called NAV1.8, or SCN10A. It’s not found elsewhere in the body. The whole reason this research is exciting is because it would be so specific it wouldn’t have the side effects seen with opioids or any anesthetic for that matter—central depression, which is what causes your breathing to stop.
It is very interesting and amazing stuff, no doubt about that. The future of medicine is only going to get more amazing, but I suppose I just really have very little confidence in that space because of a lack of understanding in oddball humans like myself who have somewhat bizarre physiology. For the vast majority of people, I think having a pain medication that doesn’t also slowly kill you is obviously a net positive.
I’m with you. A good 5+ year lag after FDA approval is a good idea if that’s an option. That being said, the FDA is generally good with drug safety and these studies look good.
I definitely look forward to a future where I might not have to consume NSAIDS like candy anymore, because those are definitely doing some real damage.
Just you wait until RFK Jr is all up in that FDA pipeline. You think the brain worm controlling his corpse is going to just sit at the head of HHS and not try to force changes wherever he can remotely pry?