Podcast: Prohibitionist Assault on Opioids Harms Cancer Patients

By Cameron English and ChuckDinerstein — Feb 06, 2024

Do opioids effectively control moderate-to-severe cancer pain? A recent review of the evidence says yes, though the press release for the study says otherwise, its headline declaring that the efficacy of opioids against cancer pain remains "unclear." Both statements can't be true, so which one is false?

Image by GeoTrinity via Wikimedia Commons

Join Cameron English and Dr. Chuck Dinerstein as they examine a case of opioid research with "a side of corruption" on Episode 62 of the Science Dispatch podcast:

Opioids, Cancer Pain, and Maybe a Side Order of Corruption

More than a third of patients with cancer report experiencing "moderate-to-severe cancer-related pain;” 40% of these patients experience “breakthrough pain” on their pain regimens. Opioid analgesics remain the mainstay for the treatment of moderate-to-severe cancer-associated pain. There is a new meta-analysis concerning opioid efficacy in this setting.

Buckle up; it's going to be a rough night.

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Cameron English

Director of Bioscience

Cameron English is a writer, editor and co-host of the Science Facts and Fallacies Podcast. Before joining ACSH, he was managing editor at the Genetic Literacy Project.