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A MEDICATION designed for pain and epilepsy has potential benefits for sufferers of often-untreatable chronic cough, a Hunter study has found.

The original article can be found at: http://www.theherald.com.au/story/269884/hunter-study-discovers-chronic-cough-treatment/

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This is a good story on a new treatment for chronic cough. Treating chronic cough could be seen as disease mongering (where sickness - and a treatment - is marketed to as large a population as possible). This doesn't mean that chronic cough isn't a problem for some people (it is) or that there is something wrong with the research (it's a high level of evidence).

The press releases for this story erred on the side of 'disease mongering' by referring to the size of the potentially affected population and the possibility of including the drug in treatment guidelines. The story remained objective by informing readers of the downside of the findings eg the treatment benefits only last while taking the tablets and that research is being done on other drugs with better side effect profiles.

The story didn't say whether the drug is approved in Australia for this condition and there was no independent comment.

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