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Mundipharma (en-GB)
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Pain Management

Mundipharma has more than 30 years of experience, in-depth know-how and a high level of expertise in the field of pain medicine.

The Mundipharma analgesic product range:

Logo Targin

TarginAct® (oxycodone/naloxone)
Prolonged Release Tablets

View TarginAct®
Logo Sovenor

Sovenor® (buprenorphine)
7-day Transdermal Patches

View Sovenor®
Logo Oxycontin

OxyContin® (oxycodone)
Prolonged Release Tablets 

View OxyContin®
Logo Oxynorm

OxyNorm® (oxycodone)
Immediate Release Capsules

View OxyNorm®
Logo Mst

MST Continus® (morphine)
Prolonged Release Tablets 

View MST Continus®
Oxynorm Injection Logo Sml

OxyNorm® Injection (oxycodone)
Solution for injection or infusion

View OxyNorm® Injection

Our Commitment to Safety

We have a proud six-year heritage in pain management in South Africa and are committed to enable healthcare professionals to treat their patients in pain safely and responsibly.

As an organisation that distributes opioids, we believe we have a responsibility to take measures to minimise the risk of misuse and abuse of these medicines while not depriving the patients that need them.

We recognise that misuse and abuse of pain medications can lead to addiction, overdose and death, and we are aware of the public health risk these potent medications can create, especially when they are diverted, misused and/or abused. That is why we are committed to reducing the risk of misuse and abuse through a secure supply chain, appropriate education of healthcare professionals, responsible sales and marketing and close collaboration with government authorities and medical organisations.

We fund educational initiatives in line with industry regulations that clearly communicate the facts about opioid medicines in a balanced and responsible manner, outlining both risks and benefits and helping to ensure that our medicines are prescribed only to the right patient for the right reasons.

We are also committed to finding new approaches to the management of pain, including research into new mechanisms and medicines with the potential to reduce or avoid the need for opioids.

At Mundipharma South Africa we know pain is personal, pain is dynamic and pain is subjective. Pain has a significant impact on our society – it may not have a voice, but we believe its footprint is immeasurable. This is why we will continue to drive education on pain and its appropriate management. We believe that our innovative products can play a role in improving the lives of pain patients, their families and healthcare professionals"

Shannon te Roller General Manager

 

Understanding Pain

Pain means different things to different people and different things to the same person at different times. 1,2

Pain is something that you feel physically; your body senses it and we know a great deal about the physical side of pain. However, it is also something you feel emotionally. Pain is personal to you and is affected by your experiences and your individual responses.1,2 It affects your ability to function normally due to its impact on mobility, sleep and mood.1 It can also be hard for doctors, friends and family to understand exactly what you are feeling with your pain.2

It is important to distinguish between acute and chronic pain.

Acute pain graph

Acute pain is generally sudden in onset and lasts a relatively short time. It can be regarded as an “emergency” pain signal that protects you from further injury to yourself or warning you of damage that has just occurred. Acute pain generally correlates with the level of injury and is accompanied by protective reflexes, e.g. withdrawal of a damaged limb. Acute pain, unlike chronic pain, disappears when the injury heals.1

Chronic or persistent pain graph

Chronic or persistent pain lasts for at least 3 or 6 months beyond onset or beyond the expected period of healing. Chronic pain may not correlate with the initial source of injury or disease, or may exist without an apparent cause. The pain may be constant or come and go and disrupt sleep and normal living. Chronic pain, unlike acute pain, does not serve a protective function. Environmental and psychological factors can exacerbate and perpetuate chronic pain, leading to disability. People with chronic pain may feel irritable or depressed and withdraw socially. Chronic pain can disrupt work and social relationships.1 

The following are different types of chronic pain:

Musculoskeletal
  • Back Pain
Neuropathic Pain
  • Diabetic neuropathy
Other types of pain
  • Cancer pain

References:

  1. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; The National Pharmaceutical Council. Pain: current understanding of assessment, management, and treatments, 2001. [cited 2019 Sept 17]; Available from: https://www.npcnow.org/publication/pain-current-understanding-assessment-management-and-treatments. 
  2. Koch K. Assessing pain in primary care. S Afr Fam Pract 2012;54(1):21-24.