The Pain Relief Foundation continues to run this competition each year in the hope of inspiring medical students into a career in Pain. 2019 has seen another great response to the competition with 31 entries received from all over the UK. This year all of the entries were impressive and competition was strong once again making it a tough job for our judges to decide on the final winner. The entries were judged by four judges, three of whom created a short list of 6 entries and the final judge deciding the winner and after considerable deliberation the winner was announced as William Crawford, essay title ‘Gabapentiniods: The Next Opioid Epidemic’

William a medical student at the University of Oxford, will present the findings of the essay he wrote looking in to the current opiate addiction crisis. The opioid epidemic in the United States has highlighted the need for new treatments, resulting in many clinicians turning to gabapentinoids. These drugs, including gabapentin and pregabalin, have serious side effects, potential for abuse, and limited evidence surrounding their efficacy.  We must therefore ask ourselves whether we are heading for a ‘gabapentinoid epidemic’.  William presented his essay at the Pain Relief Foundation to an audience of Pain Professionals and was very well received. Cameron was awarded with the winning prize of £500 by Dr John Wiles a Consultant in pain at the Walton Centre, Liverpool and Chairman of the Pain Relief Foundation Education Committee.

William was extremely grateful to the Foundation for the opportunity to explore his interests whilst contributing towards his professional development.

To see the winning essay written by William please click here