Could We Have A Pain Free Life?

British scientists claim to have found a drug that could end chronic pain.

18:14 08 December 2015

Researchers at the University College London have developed a new drug that can address chronic pain without the terrible side effects of traditional painkillers like morphine.

 

Some humans are unable to feel pain due to a genetic mutation that keeps their bodies from producing a chemical called Nav 1.7, which transmits pain through nerves.

 

The newly-developed drug, which contains a low dose of opoid painkillers, blocks Nav 1.7 so humans won't feel the pain without running the risk of getting addicted to it.

 

Professor John Wood and his team have already successfully tested the treatment on mice. He added: "We hope to see our approach tested in human trials by 2017 and we can then start looking into drug combinations to help the millions of chronic pain patients around the world," he added.

 

The team has also tried the new drug on a woman who never experienced agony. Once she was injected with the Nav 1.7, she felt pain for the first time in her life.