It’ll be a massive irony if the pleasure-principle market turns out to help pain patients more than does the medical research industry’s decades of funding project after project claiming pain patients (especially fibromyalgics) just need some attitude adjustment. (Since it’s the patients who are suffering and the researchers, physicians and psychologists who are profitting, a solider assumption is that the attitude-adjustment SHOE’S ON THE OTHER FOOT, a$$hats.)
So, Reuters via www.medscape.com/902070 (medscape is a free professional-geared site, just gotta register): Coke Eyeing Cannabis-Infused Drink Market By Uday Sampath Kumar — September 18, 2018
(Reuters) - Coca Cola Co said on Monday it was closely watching the growing marijuana-infused drinks market, responding to a media report that the world's largest beverage maker was in talks with Canada's Aurora Cannabis Inc.
The discussions over a possible product tie-up, reported by Canadian financial channel BNN Bloomberg, could open a new front in Coke's battle to overcome sluggish demand for its sugar-heavy sodas by diversifying into coffee and health-focused drinks.
The report said there was no guarantee that talks between the companies would be successful but Aurora shares responded by soaring 22 percent. Coke stock gained slightly on a New York market weakened by concerns over trade tariffs.
The marijuana industry has been attracting interest from a handful of big corporate names as Canada and a wave of U.S. states move to legalize recreational use of the drug.
However, U.S. corporations are still cautious about taking steps into a business that remains illegal under U.S. federal law.
Both Coke and Aurora, in separate statements, said they were interested in cannabidiol infused beverages but could not comment on any market speculation.
Coke and Aurora would likely develop beverages that will ease inflammation, pain and cramping, the BNN report said, citing sources familiar with the matter….
[more at that top link]
What “sources”, for example? One might be https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/900622 Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia, a research report by George Habib, MD, MPH; Suheil Artul, MD reprinted/republished from the August issue [2018;24(5):255-258] of the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology.
As med journal articles go, It’s unusually readable, and doesn’t seem to involve much if any of the methodologically flawed, covert blame-the-patient psychologizing of, for example, “Reduced Selective Learning in Patients With Fibromyalgia vs Healthy Controls“ [in the International Association for the Study of Pain’s July/2018;159(7):1268-1276 issue of Pain, which otherwise publishes quite a lot of useful articles, just with the periodic, howlingly prejudiced clinkers].
Among interesting elements in the research by Habib and Artul was the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (a.k.a. FIQR), which researchers and clinicians use worldwide … if possibly little in the US, maybe due to some limitations of the Questionnaire across the longterm for the individual patient case. (A few years ago, I copypasted the FIQR into this recycled diary shell including links to pdfs and a offer some critique of some drawbacks, if any readers want to see if it might be useful —within its limitations— with their visits to Dr, physical therapist, psychiatrist, or whatnot. If/when I find the SIQR —S is for “symptom”, a questionnaire for nonFM pain assessment, useful for a range of other painful disorders— I’ll add it there as well.)
Quoting the ABSTRACT of Medical Cannabis for the Treatment of Fibromyalgia:
Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain syndrome, characterized by chronic musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and mood disturbances [among other hallmark signs & symptoms]. There are nearly no data on the effect of medical cannabis (MC) treatment on patients with fibromyalgia.
Methods: Data were obtained from the registries of 2 hospitals in Israel (Laniado Hospital and Nazareth Hospital) on patients with a diagnosis of fibromyalgia who were treated with MC. After obtaining patient consent, demographic, clinical, and laboratory parameters were documented. All the patients also completed the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire regarding the period before and after MC treatment.
Results: Thirty patients were identified, and 26 patients were included in the study. There were 19 female patients (73%), and the mean age of the study group was 37.8 ± 7.6 years. The mean dosage of MC was 26 ± 8.3 g per month, and the mean duration of MC use was 10.4 ± 11.3 months. After commencing MC treatment, all the patients reported a significant improvement in every parameter on the questionnaire, and 13 patients (50%) stopped taking any other medications for fibromyalgia. Eight patients (30%) experienced very mild adverse effects.
Conclusions: Medical cannabis treatment had a significant favorable effect on patients with fibromyalgia, with few adverse effects.
I should point out immediately that because this report is from Israel —where medical cannabis has been in use probably a couple of decades, based on research with multiple health issues for probably half a century, including development of specific strains with specific properties— the precise nature of the treatment described at the link may not be replicable elsewhere. But it might be reasonably paralleled. ...Or there’s that CocaCola possibility…
Hoping my occasional superscripts interpolating data from elsewhere does not come amiss (I’ve been reading the professional literature on this topic, among others, for a couple of decades by now — see links at the end of this diary), I’m...
Quoting from the Introduction:
Introduction
Fibromyalgia is one of the most common chronic pain syndromes.[1] It is characterized by diffuse musculoskeletal pain, in addition to extreme fatigue and mood and sleep disturbances.[1]...
...[stiff soft-tissues]...migraine and [other] headaches...severe and debilitating fatigue...[exertion intolerance]... paresthesias... ocular and vestibular malfunction... sensitivity to pressure[/touch/irritation], bright light...noise... short-term memory and concentration difficulties..."allergic" symptoms ... adverse reactions to drugs and environmental stimuli (many patients meet criteria for "multiple chemical hyper- sensitivity") ... cardiac, pulmonary, gastrointestinal, esophageal, [reproductive]/genito-urinary, biochemical, hormonal and neuro-transmitter abnormalities... history of [prolonged/repeated injury/trauma]… LINK
The pathogenesis of fibromyalgia is not clear. It usually affects women more than men and has a genetic preponderance.[2] Its prevalence in the general population is estimated to be approximately 7%[3]…
After osteoarthritis, FM is the most common "rheumatic" disorder, [with] prevalence from 2% to 8% [and] female:male ratio of 2:1 ... [it] can develop at any age, including in [#4] childhood —[5] youth, and [6] elders—, [and all] countries, cultures and ethnic groups —e.g., [7] Morocco, [8] Japan, [9] Brazil—; there is no evidence [of] higher prevalence in industrialized countries and cultures. LINK
Fibromyalgia can have tremendous physical [AND FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL/OCCUPATIONAL, therefore] as well as psychological impacts on patients.[4] For example, many patients may be unable to accomplish various tasks at work and home, resulting in physical disability, which can be accompanied by [IMPOVERISHMENT & CONSEQUENT SERIOUS HAZARDS TO SURIVAL, therefore] anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, in most patients, fibromyalgia is chronic, and the main treatment is pain control medications. These medications include simple analgesics, pregabalin, and opiates.[5,6] Patients with fibromyalgia may also benefit from tricyclic antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and other types of antidepressants.[7] However, many of these medications are associated with adverse effects, which [may drastically increase disability and preclude] compliance. As a result, many patients with fibromyalgia experience continuous [symptomology, of which the most popularly recognized is] pain.
Cannabis is derived from the cannabis plant and is considered an illicit drug in most countries, including Israel. However, it is widely used illegally or legally in some countries where [it is] not outlawed.[8] The 2 main cannabis plant species are Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica.[9] Most species today are a hybrid of the two, with cannabis derived from C. sativa designed mainly for morning or daytime use because it induces "energy" and cannabis derived from C. indica reserved primarily for evening or nighttime use because it induces calmness and good sleep.[10] The flowers of the cannabis plant contain more than 100 types of phytocannabinoids. Most research has focused on Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, both of which have the highest concentrations of phytocannabinoids.[11] There are 2 known receptors of endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids): CB1 and CB2.[12] CB1 is mainly found in the central nervous system.[12] CB2 is found in different organs of the body, with its activities mainly related to the immune system.[12] Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol is a partial agonist for the CB1 and CB2 receptors, and cannabidiol is an antagonist. Activation of CB1 results in a decrease in synaptic signals and neurological excitability.[13]
In recent years, cannabis had been legislated in some states in the United States for medical use, as well as in some countries in Europe.[14,15]
In Israel, medical cannabis (MC) is licensed by the Israeli Medical Cannabis Agency of the Ministry of Health for patients with specific indications, including cancer with uncontrolled pain, Crohn disease with uncontrolled gastrointestinal symptoms, uncontrolled seizures, uncontrolled Parkinson disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and unresponsive diabetic neuropathy. Requests for an MC license are submitted by the specialist taking care of the patient. Based on the recommendations of the Israeli Rheumatology Association, fibromyalgia [FM] is not included in the list of indications for MC. However, approval for MC treatment may be granted in some cases …, especially for FM patients who are also receiving treatment by other sub-specialties, such as pain clinics, orthopedics (for discopathy), psychiatrists, and/or gastroenterologists (for irritable bowel syndrome).
In most cases, following approval, the starting dose of MC is 20 g per month. The drug may be supplied directly to the patient every month or collected from a distribution center. Initially, the patient will be instructed in the use of MC by the supply team, and the patient may choose the mode of consumption (i.e., smoking, vaporization, oral oil drops, or a combination of these). There are 8 suppliers of MC in Israel, and the patient has the right to choose the company that supplies the MC. The patient is advised to consume the same amount of MC daily to prevent a shortage of MC by the end of the month.
There are only a few studies in the literature on the use of cannabis by fibromyalgia patients.[16,17] In these studies, the patients used unlicensed cannabis from different suppliers, and the studies contained no information on either the type or amount (in grams) of cannabis used. In general, the patients in these studies reported favorable effects of cannabis use. A systematic review of the use of synthetic cannabinoids in fibromyalgia (nabilone, 2 studies) found evidence (very low quality) of a greater reduction in pain and limitations in health-related quality of life in the synthetic cannabinoid group as compared with a placebo group in 1 study and better effects of synthetic cannabinoids on sleep than amitriptyline in another study.[18] The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of licensed MC on patients with fibromyalgia in an Israeli population...
CONTINUE READING AT https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/900622
Links to more dk diaries by various kosaks on or including Fibromyalgia; and Chronic Pain; and this is a search-pg fulla dk tags linked to Medical Marijuana diaries (readers can use that pg for more searching).
Link to my above-exerpted 2014 Fibromyalgia Now MAY BE/maybe Treated Effectively:Op-Ed & 200+ Med Journal Links
See also DK Health-Medical & Related Groups&Series links, 2011-2018 which includes the KosAbility group and the Pain Patient Empowerment group.
Related:
■ Cannabis for Chronic Nerve Pain: Mechanism Revealed? by Damian McNamara — Sept 07, 2018 medscape.com/901689
■ Chronic Pain Now Affects 50 Million US Adults by Megan Brooks — Sept 19, 2018 medscape.com/902197
■ Tai Chi Beats Aerobic Exercise for Fibromyalgia by Damian McNamara — Mar 22, 2018 medscape.com/894331
■ Fully Integrating Medical Acupuncture Into Family Medicine, Erik K. Koda, MD, MPH — Ann Fam Med. 2018;16(4):367 medscape.com/900648
■ Subjective Reports Positive for Cannabis in Multiple Sclerosis, but Caution Urged by Nancy A. Melville — June 13, 2018 medscape.com//898002
■ Physicians' Knowledge of Marijuana Risks Falls Short by Batya Swift Yasgur, MA, LSW — Febr 27, 2018 medscape.com/893187
■ [Research in Turkey finds] Fibromyalgia Associated With Corneal Sensitivity, Ocular Pain By Lorraine L. Janeczko —Febr 08, 2018 Reuters via medscape.com/892416
■ Language Matters in Combatting the Opioid Epidemic: Safe Consumption Sites vs Overdose Prevention Sites,Colleen L. Barry, PhD, MPP; Susan G. Sherman, PhD; Emma E. McGinty, PhD — Am J Public Health. 2018;108(9):1157-1159. medscape.com/900623
■ Chronic Pain May Contribute to Suicide By Linda Carroll — Sept 11, 2018 Reuters via medscape.com/901801
■ FKBP5 [gene] Variant Linked to Chronic Posttraumatic Muscle Pain By Will Boggs MD — Sept 11, 2018 Reuters via medscape.com/901698
■ Art Tours May Have Analgesic Effect for Chronic Pain Patients By Lisa Rapaport — Aug 21, 2018 Reuters via medscape.com/900911
■ Britain Moves Closer to Legalizing Medicinal Use Of Cannabis By Andrew MacAskill — Jul 04, 2018 medscape.com/898876
■ [including mental health services in a pain care program significantly improves patient outcomes.] by Pauline Anderson — May 01, 2018 medscape.com/896016
■ Neuroinflammation and Central Sensitization in Chronic and Widespread Pain — Ru-Rong Ji, Ph.D.; Andrea Nackley, Ph.D.; Yul Huh, B.S., M.S.; Niccolò Terrando, Ph.D.; William Maixner, D.D.S., Ph.D. — Anesthesiology. 2018;129(2):343-366. medscape.com/899763
■ FDA Clears [percutaneous] Peripheral Nerve Stimulator for Pain Management by Megan Brooks — Aug 16, 2018 medscape.com/900814
■ Low-dose Naltrexone Explored as Option for Chronic Pain by Miriam E. Tucker — Mar 16, 2018 medscape.com/894020
■ High Pain Levels Linked With Impaired Memory in Older Adults By Lorraine L. Janeczko — Aug 16, 2018 Reuters via medscape.com/900697
■ Mitochondrial myopathy presenting as fibromyalgia: a case report Mishal Abdullah,1 Sahana Vishwanath,1 Amro Elbalkhi,1 and Julian L Ambrus, Jr— J Med Case Reports. 2012; 6: 55. PubMedCentral/PMC3293012/
■ Metformin and caloric restriction induce an AMPK-dependent restoration of mitochondrial dysfunction in fibroblasts from Fibromyalgia patients ElísabetAlcocer-GómezabJuanGarrido-MaraverbPedroBullónacFabiolaMarín-AguilaraDavidCotánbAngel M.CarrióndJosé MiguelAlvarez-SuarezefgFrancescaGiampierihJosé AntonioSánchez-AlcazarbMaurizioBattinoeiMario D.Corderoa Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) Molecular Basis of Disease, Vol.1852, Iss.7, July 2015, Pages 1257-1267 sciencedirect.com/S0925443915000691
■ Metformin Completed Phase 2 Trials for Fibromyalgia / Mitochondrial Diseases / Movement Disorders / Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Diagnostic — ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02500628, Last Update Posted:Jan 3, 2018 drugbank.ca
■ Pharmacological activation of AMPK and glucose uptake in cultured human skeletal muscle cells from patients with ME/CFS. Brown AE1, Dibnah B1, Fisher E1, Newton JL1,2, Walker M3,2. Biosci Rep. 2018 May 8;38(3). pii: BSR20180242. doi: 10.1042/BSR20180242. Print 2018 Jun 29. PubMedCentral/5938427/