Diminishing Opioid Reward Without Losing Analgesia: A Conversation with Francis S. Lee and Richard A. Friedman

In late November 2024, Francis S. Lee and colleagues at Weill Cornell Medical College (New York, USA) reported in Science Advances that elevated levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) diminishes the rewarding properties of opioids while maintaining their analgesic efficacy. Subsequently, psychiatrist and scientific journalist Richard A. Friedman provided coverage of these findings for the renowned publication The Atlantic. IASP presented a conversation with Drs. Lee and Friedman regarding the impact of these results and the importance of utilizing effective science communication to elevate them within the public discourse.

Martínez-Rivera A, Fetcho RN, Birmingham L, et al. Elevating levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol blunts opioid reward but not analgesia. Science Advances. 2024;10(48):eadq4779.

Friedman RA. Imagine a Drug That Feels Like Tylenol and Works Like OxyContin. The Atlantic . 29 November 2024.

This webinar - held on 24 January 2025 - included insights and recommendations from Dr. Friedman regarding science communication for a broad audience, as well as his inspiration to cover Dr. Lee’s research findings for The Atlantic. Furthermore, Dr. Lee presented the work of his lab and colleagues and their significance for future studies. These presentations were followed by an interactive Q&A.

Participants included:

• Francis S. Lee, MD, PhD, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA
• Richard A. Friedman, MD, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA
• Gregory Carbonetti, PhD, IASP Associate Director of Publications (moderator)