Todd W. Vanderah, PhD and Mohab M. Ibrahim, MD, PhD
When
Battling the Opioid Epidemic: UA Researchers See the Light Through Groundbreaking Research
Todd W. Vanderah, PhD
Department Head, Pharmacology, University of Arizona College of Medicine
Professor, Anesthesiology, Neurology, Neuroscience - GIDP, Pharmacology, Physiological Sciences - GIDP, University of Arizona College of Medicine
Mohab M. Ibrahim, MD, PhD
Professor, Anesthesiology, University of Arizona College of Medicine
Program Director, Pain Medicine Fellowship
Director, Comprehensive Pain Management Clinic
About the Lecture
Opioid addiction in the United States has reached epidemic proportions, threatening not only public health but also economic output and national security, as the country grapples with one of its worst-ever drug crises. The epidemic has cost the U.S. more than a trillion dollars since 2001, and may exceed another $500 billion over the next three years.
Although numerous treatments are available for treatment of chronic pain, a large and increasing number of Americans use opioids for long-term management of chronic pain. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) found that 2 million people had a substance use disorder involving prescription pain relievers. Statistics provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that the number of overdose deaths involving opioids was five times higher in 2016 than it was 1999. Last year, a nationwide public health emergency was declared regarding the opioid crisis.
University of Arizona researchers in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology are finding ways to effectively treat and understand chronic pain through leading-edge research. The UA has one of the largest groups in the world studying chronic pain and treatment alternatives.
Drs. Ibrahim and Vanderah will discuss their novel research on alternative medications and therapies designed to inhibit chronic pain without unwanted side effects, including addiction. According to a report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), chronic pain affects an estimated 100 million Americans, or one-third of the U.S. population. It is the primary reason Americans are on disability, with estimated at $600 billion per year as a result of missed work days and medical expenses.
Dr. Ibrahim and his colleagues have made national headlines for their research on exposure to green LED and mitigation of pain. His studies have shown how the green light is able to increase levels of circulating endogenous opioids within the body, which may explain the pain-relieving effects. These non-pharmacological methods are desperately needed to help the millions of individuals suffering from chronic pain. The initial research results indicating the green LED altering the levels of endogenous substances that may inhibit pain and decrease inflammation, are a significant breakthrough.
An expert on opioid addiction, Dr. Vanderah has been seeking ways to create alternative analgesics for many years. He and his colleagues are now seeing promise in a specific class of chemical compounds designed to help patients find pain: ‘We have to come up with better, novel ideas, techniques and mechanisms that inhibit chronic pain’ notes Vanderah.
About Dr. Todd W. Vanderah, PhD
Todd W. Vanderah, PhD, is Head and Professor of Pharmacology, and is a Professor in the Departments of Neurology and Anesthesiology. His research interests include mechanisms of cancer pain, neuronal integration in pain pathways, neurochemical release during conditions of neuropathy, neuronal plasticity, opioid receptor pharmacology, and novel targets for drug discovery. He is author of over 135 original research articles.
About Dr. Mohab M. Ibrahim, MD, PhD
Mohab M. Ibrahim, MD, PhD, currently serves as an Assistant Professor in the University of Arizona Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, as Director of the Comprehensive Pain Management Clinic and as Program Director for the Pain Management Fellowship at the UA. He earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in biochemistry and a master’s degree and PhD in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Arizona. He went on to graduate from the UA College of Medicine – Tucson in 2008, followed by a surgical internship at the UA. He completed his residency in anesthesiology, perioperative and pain medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, in Boston. He followed that with a clinical pain medicine fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School's largest teaching hospital and biomedical research facility. He is highly regarded for his work on pain management and reduction across a multitude of ailments and diseases and has been published numerous times on this and related subjects. Dr. Ibrahim is a member of the American Medical Association and the Society for Neuroscience.