The Complexity of Chronic Pain Treatments

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Are we getting any closer to sort of more effective treatments for chronic pain? This is such an interesting question and it's one I ask so many people and every time I got a different answer. Having said that there are treatments out there that either are not being matched to the patients who could actually benefit from them. Or it can be even worse than that where patients really can't access treatment at all for various reasons. So I do feel hopeful that there's some low hanging fruit to pick.

00:48 Tiny syringes for drug delivery

A team of researchers have repurposed tiny syringe-like structures produced by some bacteria to deliver molecules directly into human cells. They hope that this method could be used to overcome a big challenge in modern medicine, namely ensuring that therapeutics are delivered into the precise cells that need to be treated.

Research article: Kreitz et al.

News and Views: Mix-and-match tools for protein injection into cells

07:05 Research Highlights

A diamond-like material could protect spacecraft from intense radiation, and how gene editing could help in the treatment of a rare genetic condition.

Research Highlight: A gem of a material could provide a shield for spacecraft

Research Highlight: Gene editing holds promise for babies with deadly immune disease

09:30 Chronic pain

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and it can be debilitating. Research into the condition has come a long way in the past few years, but this knowledge hasn’t necessarily resulted in better outcomes for those with chronic pain. Nature’s Lucy Odling-Smee has written a Feature article on the topic, and she joined us to discuss why this disparity exists, and about her own experiences of chronic pain.

News Feature: Chronic pain: the long road to discovery

Resources for chronic pain: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/chronic-pain; https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/pain/ways-to-manage-chronic-pain/

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