By Sola Ogundipe
Amidst reports that no fewer than 80 percent of Nigerians will, at a point in their life time, develop arthritis, a disease characterised by pain and swellings of the joints, multinational pharmaceutical company, Pfizer has assured pain specialists in Nigeria of its resolve to partner with them to provide effective management for the Nigerian patients.

This was the notion at the launch of Arthrotec, a new drug for the management of pain  in Lagos recently, when Medical Director Nigeria and East Africa region (NEAR), Dr. Kodjo Soroh said Pfizer would partner with all stakeholders in any way possible to help bring succor to millions of Nigerians suffering from different types of pain.

Pfizer would try as much as possible to provide access to the new drug and other medicines in its pain portfolio while creating    awareness  and collaborating with the Nigerian medical community in improving understanding of the mechanism and management of pain.

In a presentation titled: “Clinical and economic challenges NSAID-induced gastro-intestinal ulceration: issues and solutions” Prof Femi  Adelowo, a Consultant Rheumatologist (expert in the study and management of the joints, soft tissues and allied conditions of connective tissues) at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, described pain-relieving drugs referred to in medical parlance as “Nonsteroidal A-inflammatory Drugs, NSAIDs” as the most widely prescribed medications in the world.

He said NSAIDs are the principal pharmacologic agents for symptom relief in patients with rheumatic diseases. He disclosed that NSAIDs are associated with a number of side effects such as Gastro-intestinal tract side effects such as indigestion, dyspeosia, nausea, constipation. However, he said, the use of another agent known as misoprostol prevents development of clinically defined NSAIDs-associated ulcers.

In another presentation, Pfizer’s Product Manager, (NEAR), Miss Folake Odediran described Arthrotec, the new product as a combination of Diclofenac Sodium, an NSAID and Misoprostol, a synthetic prostaglandin analogue used for the prevention of NSAID-induced side-effects.

She said arthrotec is efficacious in the treatment of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and compares favourably with other treatment options.

Former Health Secretary of the Federation, Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi   commended Pfizer for introducing the new drug.

“We are finally on the way for a good cure of arthritis with the introduction of arthrotec.”