New Drug Offers Targeted Pain Relief, Cannabis Results Mixed, Says Dr. Sanjay Gupta
Washington, D.C. - A novel medication, Suzetrigine, is showing promise in selectively blocking pain signals while preserving sensation, according to CNN’s Dr. Sanjay gupta. He detailed the drug’s origins in a recent NPR interview, tracing its development back to research on Pakistani circus performers who demonstrated a remarkable ability to withstand injury without experiencing pain.
Researchers initially observed families of circus performers in Karachi, Pakistan, roughly 25 to 30 years ago, noting their capacity to endure typically painful stimuli – walking on hot coals, piercing skin – while still registering sensation. This led to the identification of a specific gene common among the performers, prompting a quarter-century effort to replicate its effects pharmaceutically.
“They could feel the coals on their feet and they could feel that they were hot, they just didn’t have pain,” Gupta explained. The goal was to create a medication that wouldn’t eliminate pain entirely, recognizing its crucial role in safety and learning. “Pain has utility.It can keep you safe. It can teach you lessons,” Gupta stated. Suzetrigine is designed with a specific “half-life” to achieve this targeted effect and is currently available in oral formulation.Gupta also discussed the current state of research on cannabis for pain management. While acknowledging the difficulty in obtaining robust data due to its past classification as a Schedule I substance, he found the evidence less compelling than anticipated.
“I walked into it thinking that if I really examined all this literature, there was going to be a pretty compelling case made for using cannabis for all sorts of different pains … and I walked away not as impressed, to be quite honest,” Gupta said.
Available data suggest cannabis might potentially be effective for roughly one-third of individuals experiencing neuropathic pain, potentially offering relief comparable to existing treatments. However,two-thirds of patients reported limited benefit. Researchers are currently unable to identify the factors differentiating those who respond positively from those who do not.The interview was produced and edited for broadcast by Monique Nazareth and Susan Nyakundi, with web adaptation by Bridget Bentz and Molly seavy-Nesper.
