Digital health in pain assessment, diagnosis, and management: Overview and perspectives.

Managing pain is essential for social, psychological, physical, and economic reasons. It is also a human right with a growing incidence of untreated and under-treated pain globally. Barriers to diagnosing, assessing, treating, and managing pain are complicated, subjective, and driven by patient, healthcare provider, payer, policy, and regulatory challenges. In addition, conventional treatment methods pose their own challenges including the subjectivity of assessment, lack of therapeutic innovation over the last decade, opioid use disorder and financial access to treatment. Digital health innovations hold much promise in providing complementary solutions to traditional medical interventions and may reduce cost and speed up recovery or adaptation. There is a growing evidence base for the use of digital health in pain assessment, diagnosis, and management. The challenge is not only to develop new technologies and solutions, but to do this within a framework that supports health equity, scalability, socio-cultural consideration, and evidence-based science. The extensive limits to physical personal interaction during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020/21 has proven the possible role of digital health in the field of pain medicine. This paper provides an overview of the use of digital health in pain management and argues for the use of a systemic framework in evaluating the efficacy of digital health solutions.

Cancer Pain Management in French-Speaking African Countries: Assessment of the Current Situation and Research Into Factors Limiting Treatment and Access to Analgesic Drugs.

Introduction: There is a dearth of research on the incidence and treatment of cancer pain in Africa. Yet Africa, with other developing countries, accounts for more than half of all cancer diagnoses, and it is estimated that cancer incidence in Africa will double by 2030. Objectives: This research protocol outlines an approach to investigate cancer pain in French-speaking African countries. The protocol intends to determine and describe the treatment and management of cancer pain in these countries. Barriers to treating cancer pain will be explored and the results will be collated to make a series of recommendations on policy positions, regulatory frameworks and protocols. Methods: A mixed-methods, co-creation methodology has been selected to ensure the societal impact of the research outcomes. This research will use both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and analyses. The research will begin with a review of the policies and legislation that exist in relation to cancer pain management and the use of analgesics, in each French-speaking African country. An Experts Steering Committee will then be created to provide guidance on the protocol and research design and access to participants, as well as to execute on the administration of surveys to local structures and international experts. A series of semi-structured, qualitative interviews with experts and clinicians in the field of screening and management of cancer pain and access to treatment will follow. Purposive and snowball sampling will be used to select the respondent experts. The semi-structured interviews will be conducted to determine the main trends and barriers to the treatment of cancer pain in French-speaking African countries. From this qualitative research, two surveys will be developed and then administered: one to validate the policy and regulatory context, and the other to determine experts and healthcare professionals experience and perceptions of cancer pain. Results/Conclusions: The results will be analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods to determine themes and perceptions of cancer pain and treatment, from the policy level to the healthcare professional level. Evaluation of the results will lead to recommendations for a comprehensive framework for cancer pain treatment in French-speaking Africa.

In vitro virucidal activity of povidone iodine gargle and mouthwash against SARS-CoV-2: implications for dental practice.

Introduction Virus particles in respiratory droplets and aerosols generated during medical/dental procedures are a potential source of SARS-CoV-2 cross infection. In the dental setting, oral decontamination could be an important adjunct to personal protective equipment and is recommended by a number of national COVID-19 guidance documents for dental settings.Aim To assess the in vitrovirucidal activity of an oral povidone iodine (PVP-I) product against SARS-CoV-2.Material and methods BETADINE gargle and mouthwash (1% PVP-I) was tested against SARS-CoV-2 virus under both clean and dirty conditions using a suspension assay based on EN14476 methodology. Virucidal activity of the product, undiluted and at 1:2 dilution, was tested at contact times of 15, 30 and 60 seconds. Viral titres were calculated using the Spearman-Kärber method and reported as median tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50/ml).Results The undiluted product achieved >5 log10 reduction in viral titres compared to the control at 15, 30 and 60 seconds under both clean and dirty conditions. At a twofold dilution (0.5% PVP-I), the test product demonstrated >4 log10 kill at 15 seconds and >5 log10 kill at 30 and 60 seconds in both clean and dirty conditions.Conclusion PVP-I gargle and mouthwash product, undiluted and at 1:2 dilution, demonstrated potent and rapid virucidal activity (≥4 log10 reduction of viral titre) in 15 seconds against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. The PVP-I gargle and mouthwash product is widely available and could be readily integrated into infection control measures during dental treatment including pre-procedural oral decontamination.

Povidone-Iodine Demonstrates Rapid In Vitro Virucidal Activity Against SARS-CoV-2, The Virus Causing COVID-19 Disease.

INTRODUCTION: As of 22 June 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV)-2 has infected more than 8.95 million people worldwide, causing > 468,000 deaths. The virus is transmitted through respiratory droplets and physical contact from contaminated surfaces to the mucosa. Hand hygiene and oral decontamination among other measures are key to preventing the spread of the virus. We report the in vitro virucidal activity of topical and oral povidone-iodine (PVP-I) products against SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: Suspension assays were used to assess the virucidal activity of PVP-I against SARS-CoV-2. Products were tested at a contact time of 30 s for virucidal activity. Viral titres were calculated using the Spearman-Kärber method and reported as median tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50)/mL. RESULTS: All four products [antiseptic solution (PVP-I 10%), skin cleanser (PVP-I 7.5%), gargle and mouth wash (PVP-I 1%) and throat spray (PVP-I 0.45%)] achieved ≥ 99.99% virucidal activity against SARS-CoV-2, corresponding to ≥ 4 log10 reduction of virus titre, within 30 s of contact. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence of rapid and effective virucidal activity of PVP-I against SARS-CoV-2. PVP-I-based products are widely available for medical and personal use for hand hygiene and oral decontamination, and could be readily integrated into coronavirus disease, COVID-19, infection control measures in hospital and community settings.