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Path: utzoo!utcsrgv!peterr
From: peterr@utcsrgv.UUCP (Peter Rowley)
Newsgroups: net.med,net.misc
Subject: Effective Non-Drug Chronic Pain Relief
Message-ID: <2761@utcsrgv.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 18-Nov-83 01:24:38 EST
Article-I.D.: utcsrgv.2761
Posted: Fri Nov 18 01:24:38 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 18-Nov-83 02:21:35 EST
Organization: CSRG, University of Toronto
Lines: 30

The Canadian Broadcasting Corp. show "Marketplace" of this week reported a
disturbing story concerning the suppression of a proven, non-drug, pain-killer.
In 1974, a Minnesota inventor created a device that used Trans-cutaneous (sp?)
Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) to suppress lower back pain.  The device
is somewhat bigger than a Walkman(tm Sony) 1 and is attached to two flat
electrodes, placed on the skin.  It has a few controls, to control current etc.
Not having the marketing muscle to get the device out, the inventor made a deal
with Johnson and Johnson to further develop and distribute the apparently
proven device (the Marketplace report did not, unfortunately, mention any
clinical trials).  Five years later, in 1979, the device was still on the shelf
and the inventor sued, receiving $170 million dollars and a judgement which
blamed J&J for depriving millions of people of the pain-relief-without-side-
effects of the device.  The decision was appealled and the judgement recently
reduced to $8 million, still a huge amount.

The report included an interview with one man who suffered such severe back
pain that he had to take large amounts of pain-killing drugs, with their
depressant side-effects, which lead him to a "black life".  Now, with the
TENS unit, he can lead a normal life.

The report also gave considerable play to the fact that J&J's Tylenol makes
them $500 million a year in sales.

Though the report was not as clear as I would have liked, the judgements in
US courts indicate that a good case for the device's effectiveness has been
made (i.e. J&J did not argue successfully that the device could not be sold
as it didn't work-- I don't know what their argument was).  Thus, if you or
someone you know suffers from chronic pain, it may well be worth asking
your doctor about TENS.  CBC Toronto (354 Jarvis, 416-925-3311) may be
able to provide further information.