A widely prescribed opioid painkiller showed limited effectiveness and increased risk of negative effects in a new analysis published in BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine.

The study examined tramadol, a common prescription opioid used to treat chronic pain.

Tramadol has historically been perceived as a safer or less addictive opioid, which has contributed to its widespread use in chronic pain treatment, the study authors noted.

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“Often, we may use tramadol to avoid more addictive drugs like other opioids, though in fact tramadol is a synthetic opioid. It is much milder,” Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, told Fox News Digital.

In the new analysis, researchers used data from 19 randomized clinical trials involving 6,506 adults with conditions including osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, neuropathic pain and fibromyalgia. All the studies compared tramadol to a placebo treatment.

Overall, tramadol led to a small decrease in pain, but the amount of relief was less than what is usually considered clinically meaningful, the authors reported.

“It is notable how minimal the pain reduction was and how clearly the study highlighted the elevated risk of serious adverse events, even over relatively short trial durations,” Alopi M. Patel, M.D., pain medicine physician at Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai in New York City, told Fox News Digital. (Patel was not involved in the study.)

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Participants receiving tramadol experienced a higher risk of adverse events, both serious and non-serious, compared with those receiving a placebo. 

Serious adverse events primarily included cardiovascular events, such as chest pain, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. The authors concluded that tramadol likely increases the risk of heart-related issues.

The authors concluded that the benefits of tramadol for chronic pain are small and that the harms likely outweigh the benefits. The findings call into question the use of tramadol for chronic pain conditions, they stated.

Study limitations

Most of the trials included in the analysis were short, with treatment periods ranging from two to 16 weeks and follow-up periods from three to 15 weeks. 

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This limited the ability to assess long-term outcomes, the researchers acknowledged.

The authors reported that many outcomes had a high risk of bias, which may have exaggerated the apparent benefits and minimized the reported harms.

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The trials involved several different types of chronic pain, but the data were not detailed enough to draw conclusions for any specific condition. This makes it “harder to generalize the findings to specific patient populations,” noted Patel.

Though the study has value, Siegel said, “looking at slight increased rates of cancer or heart disease among those on the drug is completely misleading, because it is not controlled for other factors and there is no evidence or hint of causation.”

“You would have to first look at underlying characteristics of that group who took the meds.”

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The doctor also pointed out that the study “doesn’t compare [tramadol] with full-on opioids like Percocet.”

Experts emphasize that patients should not stop taking tramadol abruptly, as doing so can lead to withdrawal symptoms. Those looking to change their medication should consult a doctor.

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“I recommend that clinicians and patients engage in transparent, shared decision-making that considers tramadol’s modest benefits alongside its risks,” Patel advised.

Fox News Digital reached out to several manufacturers of tramadol requesting comment.

A new form of the flu, which is highly contagious and aggressive, is sweeping the nation this season.

A mutation of influenza A H3N2, called subclade K, has been detected as the culprit in rising global cases, including in the U.S.

The World Health Organization stated on its website that the K variant marks “a notable evolution in influenza A (H3N2) viruses,” which some say calls into question the effectiveness of this season’s influenza vaccine against the strain.

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The K variant causes more intense flu symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, fatigue, cough, sore throat and runny nose, according to experts.

Among 216 influenza A(H3N2) viruses collected since Sept. 28, 89.8% belonged to subclade K, a CDC report states.

The agency continues to release a weekly influenza surveillance report, tracking which states are seeing the most activity for outpatient respiratory illness.

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Below are the states and regions within the highest range of reported medical visits, not necessarily confirmed influenza cases, as of the week ending Dec. 13.

Very High (Level 1)

Very High (Level 2)

Very High (Level 3)

• New Jersey
• Rhode Island
• Louisiana
• Colorado

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High (Level 1)

• Massachusetts
• Connecticut
• Michigan
• Idaho
• South Carolina

High (Level 2)

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High (Level 3)

• Washington, D.C.
• Maryland
• North Carolina
• Georgia

The CDC has estimated that there have been at least 4.6 million illnesses, 49,000 hospitalizations and 1,900 flu deaths this season so far. The flu vaccine is recommended as the best line of defense against the virus.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Neil Maniar, professor of public health practice at Boston’s Northeastern University, shared details on the early severity of this emerging flu strain.

“It’s becoming evident that this is a pretty severe variant of the flu,” he said. “Certainly, in other parts of the world where this variant has been prevalent, it’s caused some severe illness, and we’re seeing an aggressive flu season already.”

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Subclade K is the “perfect storm” for an aggressive flu season, Maniar suggested, as vaccination rates overall are down, and it’s uncertain whether this year’s flu vaccine directly addresses this specific mutation.

“The vaccine is very important to get, but because it’s not perfectly aligned with this variant, I think that’s also contributing to some degree to the severity of cases we’re seeing,” he said. “We’re going in [to this flu season] with lower vaccination rates and a variant that in itself seems to be more aggressive.”

Maniar stressed that it’s not too late to get the flu vaccine, as peak flu season has not yet arrived.

“The vaccine still provides protection against serious illness resulting from the subclade K variant that seems to be going around,” he said. “There are likely to be lots of indoor gatherings and other events that create risk of exposure, so protection is important.”

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Even healthy individuals can become seriously ill from the flu, Maniar noted, “so a vaccine is beneficial for almost everyone.”

“Individuals typically start to develop some degree of protection within a few days and gain the full benefit within about two weeks, so now is the time for anyone who hasn’t gotten the vaccine yet.”

Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska announced this week that he has been diagnosed with metastatic stage 4 pancreatic cancer, calling the disease “a death sentence” in a message posted on X.

Sasse, 53, said the cancer has spread and acknowledged that he has “less time than I’d prefer,” although he also mentioned recent scientific advances and his intention to pursue treatment.

“I’m not going down without a fight,” Sasse said when revealing his diagnosis. “One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jaw-dropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more.”

HIDDEN FACTOR IN CANCER TREATMENT TIMING MAY AFFECT SURVIVAL, RESEARCHERS SAY

Pancreatic cancer is known to be one of the deadliest forms of cancer, with ongoing research efforts aiming to improve outcomes. 

Below are six key things to know about the disease.

No. 1: Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed late and is highly deadly

Pancreatic cancer is notoriously aggressive and difficult to treat, according to the American Cancer Society. Most patients are not diagnosed until the disease has already spread to other organs, largely because there aren’t reliable screening tests and early symptoms can be vague or absent.

The ACS estimates that 67,440 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2025, and about 51,980 are expected to die from it. The tumor’s biology creates physical and chemical barriers that reduce the effectiveness of many traditional treatments.

No. 2: New immunotherapies are showing early promise

Researchers at UCLA recently reported progress on an experimental, off-the-shelf, cell-based immunotherapy designed to attack pancreatic cancer.

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In mouse studies, the therapy slowed tumor growth, extended survival and remained effective even after the cancer had spread to other organs, such as the liver and lungs. 

The treatment uses special immune cells called natural killer T (NKT) cells, which are genetically modified so they can specifically recognize and attack pancreatic cancer cells.

Unlike personalized therapies, the NKT cells are naturally compatible with different immune systems and can be mass-produced from donor stem cells. 

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Researchers estimate that one donor could supply cells for thousands of treatments, with a potential cost of around $5,000 per dose. All testing so far has been done in mice, and human trials have not yet begun.

No. 3: Diet and gut health may affect treatment recovery

Separate research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has suggested that the amino acid cysteine could help the gut heal after cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation. 

In mouse studies, cysteine — found in foods like meat, eggs, dairy products, legumes and nuts — helped to regenerate intestinal stem cells that are often damaged during cancer therapy.

Additional unpublished research showed benefits after treatment with 5-fluorouracil, a chemotherapy drug used for colon and pancreatic cancers. 

Researchers emphasized that human studies are still needed and that cysteine is not a cure for cancer itself.

No. 4: Alcohol and lifestyle factors may raise cancer risk

Recent research published in PLOS Medicine by the International Agency for Research on Cancer found that alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer.

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The study followed 2.5 million people for about 16 years, finding that each additional 10 grams of ethanol consumed per day was linked to a 3% increase in risk. Higher intake levels were associated with greater risk, particularly with beer and spirits.

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Researchers noted that the study was observational and that more work is needed to understand lifetime drinking patterns.

No. 5: Symptoms are often subtle and easily missed

When symptoms do occur, they can include abdominal pain that spreads to the sides or back, loss of appetite and unexplained weight loss, according to Mayo Clinic.

Some patients develop jaundice — yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes — along with light-colored or floating stools, dark urine and itching. 

Other possible signs include a new diagnosis of diabetes (or diabetes that becomes harder to control), pain and swelling in an arm or leg that may be linked to a blood clot, and persistent tiredness or weakness.

Those who are experiencing symptoms should consult with a healthcare professional.

No. 6: Age, genetics and health conditions can raise risk

Pancreatic cancer risk is influenced by a combination of genetic, medical and lifestyle factors. 

The disease becomes more likely with age, and men are slightly more susceptible, according to the ACS. Those with a family history or inherited genetic mutation also have a higher risk, as do people with type 2 diabetes, obesity and lack of physical activity.

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Diets high in processed or red meats and low in fruits and vegetables, as well as high alcohol consumption, may also contribute to pancreatic cancer risk, along with some occupational chemical exposures, per multiple cancer agencies.

Experts note, however, that many people are diagnosed with the disease despite having no clear risk factors.

Deirdre Bardolf, Ashley J. DiMella, Alex Nitzberg and Angelica Stabile, all of Fox News Digital, contributed reporting.