Chronic pain, from degenerative diseases such as arthritis or severe tissue damage that cannot heal completely, is persistent and often cannot be entirely relieved by safe non-narcotic analgesics such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
The National Institutes of Health, funded by federal tax dollars, funds basic and clinical research each year to study safe, effective therapeutic strategies of chronic pain relief.
A recent slowdown in the economy, and tax law changes have resulted in Congressional action to cut the NIH research budget. The Congressional Appropriations Committee has mandated that all programs be evaluated for funding merit. Programs must demonstrate therapeutic potential based on scientifically reasonable theories to be eligible for continued funding. Funding for research of therapies that are not based on sound scientific principles will not continue beyond this fiscal year.
One therapeutic strategy that has received funding in the past year is static magnet therapy. static magnetic therapy is an analgesic strategy where permanent magnets of various strengths and shapes are placed on the body. The body tissue is exposed to a continuous magnetic field in this strategy. The magnetic field is delivered by wearing the magnets as jewelry, or as sewn into braces, bedding or clothing. The body of research and claims surrounding this strategy is voluminous and often contradictory.
Despite the fact that the Food and Drug Administration has not approved static magnets for pain therapy a large market for static magnetic therapy product has emerged. Ads for static magnet therapy products are pervasive on the internet, in magazines, and television infomercials.
You as a committee of magnetism experts, have been selected to make a recommendation to the Executive director about the future funding of static magnetic therapy research.