COMMENTARY Reply to: ‘‘Palmitoylethanolamide: problems regarding micronization, ultra-micronization and additives’’ Inflammopharmacology DOI:10.1007/s10787-014-0202-3 Stephen D. Skaper • Laura Facci • Mariella Fusco • Maria Federica della Valle • Morena Zusso • Barbara Costa • Pietro Giusti Received: 28 April 2014 / Accepted: 10 May 2014 Ó Springer Basel 2014 Abstract This is a reply to a recently published Commen- tary: ‘‘Palmitoylethanolamide: problems regarding micronization, ultra-micronization and additives’’ Inflammo- pharmacology DOI:10.1007/s10787-014-0202-3, written in relation to our review article: Skaper SD, Facci L, Fusco M, della Valle MF, Zusso M, Costa B, Giusti P (2014) ‘‘Palmi- toylethanolamide, a naturally occurring disease-modifying agent in neuropathic pain’’ Inflammopharmacology 22:79–94 DOI:10.1007/s10787-013-0191-7. We believe that the Com- mentary by Kriek contains a number of erroneous statements and misinterpretations of the published scientific/medical lit- erature which our reply shall elaborate on. Further, the writer of the Commentary has a direct connection to a company, JP Russell Science Ltd that sells palmitoylethanolamide. The take-home message of our review remains as originally stated: ‘‘Collectively, the findings presented here propose that pal- mitoylethanolamide merits further consideration as a disease- modifying agent for controlling inflammatory responses and related chronic and neuropathic pain’’. Keywords Neuropathic pain Á Palmitoylethanolamide Á Micronization Á Excipients We are writing in reference to a commentary recently published in Inflammopharmacology: Rutger Kriek ‘‘Palmitoylethanolamide: problems regarding micron- ization, ultra-micronization and additives’’ Inflammopharmacology DOI:10.1007/s10787-014-0202-3 In relation to our review article: Skaper SD, Facci L, Fusco M, della Valle MF, Zusso M, Costa B, Giusti P (2014) ‘‘Palmitoylethanolamide, a natu- rally occurring disease-modifying agent in neuropathic pain’’ Inflammopharmacology 22:79–94 DOI:10.1007/ s10787-013-0191-7 (The writer of the commentary failed to give the com- plete citation of our article, which appears in the April 2014 issue of the journal) We were rather dismayed to have read this commen- tary (referred to hereafter as ‘the Commentary’)—without first having been given the opportunity to reply alongside. The journal ‘Inflammopharmacology’ in effect failed to provide a level playing field. The Commentary contains a number of erroneous statements and misinterpretations of the published scientific/medical literature which we shall elaborate on below. Moreover, the title of the Commen- tary posits a negative outcome from the start, without first giving the reader a chance to judge for himself/herself. Is the writer of the Commentary not begging the question? To begin with we would like to point out, as stated in the Abstract of our review: ‘‘Collectively, the findings pre- sented here propose that palmitoylethanolamide merits further consideration as a disease-modifying agent for S. D. Skaper (&) Á L. Facci Á M. Zusso Á P. Giusti University of Padua, Padua, Italy e-mail: stephen.skaper@unipd.it M. Fusco Epitech Group srl, Scientific Information and Documentation Center, Saccolongo, PD, Italy M. F. della Valle CeDIS (Scientific Information and Documentation Center), Innovet Italia srl, Saccolongo, PD, Italy B. Costa Department of Biotechnology and Bioscience, University of Milan-Bicocca, Milan, Italy Inflammopharmacol DOI 10.1007/s10787-014-0208-x Inflammopharmacology 123