MedX Health initiates study applying laser acupuncture to addiction control

MedX Health Corp. (Mississauga, Ont., Canada), a developer of drug free, non-invasive low level laser and light therapy for tissue repair and pain relief, says it has received FDA Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval to study the effectiveness of laser acupuncture for addiction to nicotine, alcohol and drugs. This study, to be launched in both Canada and the US, will be an open, multi-center trial treating patients with addictions to assess the effectiveness of the MedX laser probe as a means of controlling cravings for such substances.

"While the use of laser therapy in addiction is not a new concept, it has not been well-documented and it is important that MedX conduct these meaningful studies to confirm the efficacy of our laser and established treatment protocols for these addictions. This would lead to a more cost-effective way to treat addiction," states Steve Guillen, president and CEO of MedX Health.

"This is just the beginning of a number of trials we plan to launch in laser acupuncture with our MedX laser probe. Our goal is to institute a safe and effective standard of care for those suffering from substance abuse and the serious medical conditions that can result from drug, alcohol, and smoking addictions," adds Guillen.

"Each clinic that participates in the study will use our MedX laser probe with established protocols and will be responsible for documenting and sending us data regularly, which will be analyzed and published on a yearly basis," explains Anita Saltmarche, RN, MHSc, vice president of clinical and scientific affairs.

The research results will assist in guiding clinical practice and increasing the likelihood of successful outcomes for patients experiencing an array of significant health issues. Laser auriculotherapy is the stimulation of points on the external ear and in some cases meridian points in other parts of the body, to aid many health conditions, especially pain, stress and addiction. Based on years of experience experts believe that this stimulation will lead to a reduction in the patient's need for the substances. The reduced cravings outcome with laser auricular acupuncture is based on the recent observation that the ear represents a door into the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. In 1997, a consensus panel of the US National Institutes of Health gave approval to the practice of acupuncture, which included an evaluation of those studies which supported the use of ear acupuncture for pain and addiction.

The most common addictions are to legal substances, including nicotine, alcohol and drugs such as prescription painkillers. Each can lead to a number of debilitating conditions and even death.

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MedX Health Corp.