Voltaren® Gel: First US FDA Approved Topical Treatment for OA-Related Pain

The recent approval of Voltaren® Gel makes it the first USFDA –approved prescription NSAID (non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drug) treatment that can be applied directly to site of osteoarthritis pain.

Voltaren® Gel is the only prescription topical medication proven to significantly reduce osteoarthritis pain in both the knees and the joints of the hand that offers highly effective pain relief with minimal drug absorption throughout the body – shown to be 94% less than comparable oral diclofenac treatment.

Voltaren® Gel (diclofenac sodium topical gel) 1% is a product of Novartis.

Previously, we only know Voltaren® (diclofenac sodium) (a pdf file) as a popular treatment for osteoarthritis pain. Voltaren® Gel is its topical gel version.

According to Roy Altman, MD, Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology at UCLA in Los Angeles and past President of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International:

“Voltaren Gel is proven to be effective for osteoarthritis of the hand and knee and has a favorable safety profile.

The combination of benefit and safety provides a welcome new treatment approach for osteoarthritis, offering patients an alternative to oral therapies.

Voltaren Gel delivers the proven efficacy of diclofenac with significantly less systemic absorption, minimizing the risk of side effects.”

Indeed, most often it is safer to apply a topical treatment instead of taking in an oral pill.
Apparently, Voltaren® Gel is the first prescription topical osteoarthritis treatment that has shown effectiveness in both the knees and joints of the hands from the clinical trials conducted.

Voltaren Gel delivers effective pain relief with a favorable safety profile as its systemic absorption is 94% less than the comparable oral diclofenac treatment.

Given the choice, what would you prefer: topical or oral treatment?

Voltaren Gel provides 1% diclofenac sodium in a topical gel formulation. It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication indicated for the pain of osteoarthritis in joints amenable to topical treatment, such as the knees and those of the hands.

Voltaren Gel delivers highly effective pain relief with a favorable safety profile as its systemic absorption is 94% less than comparable oral diclofenac treatment.

However, may it be oral or topical treatment, remember always, always to consult your doctor. Avoid, self-prescription, as most people do especially if the drug can be bought OTC or even online from foreign countries.

Remember that Voltaren® Gel (diclofenac sodium topical gel) 1% is a prescription treatment.

To be on the safe side, consult your doctor all the time before administering treatment.

Source: CNN Money