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Progress in Pain Research and Management Volume 25. Opioids and Pain Relief: A Historical Perspective

Marcia L. Meldrum (Ed.). IASP Secretariat, 2003. 223 pages. ISBN 0-931092-47-7

Halifax, Nova Scotia

This book will appeal to all health care providers who have an interest in the historical development of opioids and opioid receptors, along with issues around the use and abuse of opioids and the clinicians and researchers who have been instrumental in these developments.

John Loeser, a world renowned pain clinician, highlights the thrust of this book when he writes "the editor has called upon historians, philosophers, and care providers to discuss issues relating to the administration of opiates by those given the awesome responsibility of treating pain and suffering."

The chapter by Acker on the dilemmas of regulating analgesics is particularly interesting and provides a thorough discourse on the recent misuse of Oxycontin and places it within the context of prior misuse of medications. Further chapters by Clark, Faull and Nicholson, Swerdlow and Dahl provide valuable insight into the development of cancer pain management and the difficulties early pioneers of opioid use faced.

The personal effect of pain on quality of life and quality of death is wonderfully captured in patient narratives and clinicians’ comments in the chapter by Coyle.

This book is worth reading by anyone who is interested in a historical perspective of opioids and pain relief and provides many insights into how we should all provide care to patients with pain.

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a scholarly reply Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Clark, A. J. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Clark, A. J.