News & Press Releases

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  February 22, 2010

FOR INFORMATION:  Therese Clay, XO Marketing Group, (801)541-9244, e-mail therese@xomktg.com

LIFETREE CLINICAL RESEARCH’S MEDICAL DIRECTOR FORMS

NEW PAIN CLINIC FOR PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION

Company also announces new clinical neuroscience research team member

 Salt Lake City—Lifetree Clinical Research® and Lifetree Center for Neuroscience Research, one of the largest specialized clinical research organizations in the Western region of the United States, announces that the organization’s chief medical director and lead investigator, Lynn R. Webster M.D., is establishing a consultative pain clinic specializing in the treatment of high-risk chronic patients who suffer from addiction.  The clinic will be located within Lifetree Clinical Research, Lifetree Center for Neuroscience Research and Lifetree Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah.

     "This is not a suboxone or addiction clinic, but one that will manage patients who have pain and the disease of addiction.  It will be a multimodality clinic, incorporating the full spectrum of pain therapies including behavioral therapy, manipulative therapy, pharmacotherapy, stress management and interventional therapies,” said Webster.

      "Dr. Webster is highly respected and a published thought leader in the industry for his expertise in assessing patients for the risk of abuse,” said Lifetree Clinical Research CEO Alice Jackson.   "His clinical research projects at Lifetree have produced important results on pain and pain mechanisms, substance abuse, addiction and the use of chronic pain medication and the impact these medications have on sleep.  The addition of the new clinic allows Dr. Webster the opportunity to treat this population while retaining his investigator responsibilities and research interests in drugs of abuse deterrent/resistant formulations.”

     In conjunction with the formation of the new center, Lifetree Clinical Research, Lifetree Center for Neuroscience Research and Lifetree Pain Clinic have added Dr. Debra Hobbins, DNP, APRN, LSAC to its staff as executive research scientist.  Hobbins has experience in providing primary care and pain management treatment to individuals with opioid dependency, assessing compatibility of medications, assessing individuals to determine appropriateness of methadone/suboxone therapy and monitoring pregnant women during opioid substitution treatment. She is board-certified in both addiction and women’s health, and is a licensed substance abuse counselor.

   "Addiction is a brain disease, and Dr. Hobbins’ experience and expertise in treating addiction will be a welcomed addition to our clinical neuroscience research team,” said Jackson.  "She will play an important role working in collaboration with Dr. Webster and our Lifetree research team to explore new chemical entities to treat this disease.”

     In addition to her position at Lifetree Clinical Research and Pain Clinic, Hobbins currently serves as a reviewer for a number of peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Addictions Nursing.  She is also a member of several local and state committees dealing with various aspects of substance abuse. On the national level, representing the American Nurses Association (ANA) as a content expert, Hobbins was selected to become a member of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) Nurse Expert Panel on Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) for Opioid Dependence.  She is a member of the DHHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and CSAT MedEdTa Stakeholders Group, a small group of methadone experts charged to develop national training modules for opiate treatment professionals. As a representative of CSAT, Hobbins also provides training nationally to state opioid treatment programs’ clinical staff on the safe and responsible use of methadone.

Hobbins has published book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles and lay articles on a variety of topics in her specialties, and she continues to be an invited presenter on statewide and national levels.

"I am passionate about my work and treating individuals with the disease of addiction, says Hobbins.  "I welcome the opportunities to come in my position as executive research scientist at Lifetree.”