"I think it's very unlikely," he says after a pause, "but if we can't find any other medication that's effective, we may need to look into some long-term application of the nerve block. Or that would be my suggestion. It's not ideal, though, and I'd want to consult with my colleagues here and at home for other alternatives."

Another short pause.

"I would ... advise in the strongest possible terms against resuming use of morpha, or any variation of it."