December 2006 E-Newsletter

ASPI Meeting Features Pain And Palliative Care Experts

Missouri Pain Awareness Campaign Reaches the Masses

FDA Issues Alert on Methadone

Study Dispels Myth That Opioids Hasten Death

New Warnings Proposed for Popular Pain Relievers

ASPI MEETING FEATURES PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE EXPERTS

The 18th Annual Meeting of the Alliance of State Pain Initiatives (ASPI) will feature some of the most respected and recognized leaders in pain management and palliative care. Don't miss this incredible opportunity to interact with leaders in the field and learn about the exciting and successful pain management improvement efforts involving State Pain Initiatives from across the country. The 2007 meeting will be held June 21-23, 2007 in Boston, MA, and will include discussions from such nationally recognized authorities as Ira Byock MD, Daniel Carr MD, Georgia Decker MS RN, Arthur Lipman PharmD, and June Dahl PhD. Registration information will be announced in this E-Newsletter early next year.

MISSOURI PAIN AWARENESS CAMPAIGN REACHES THE MASSES

In 2006 the Missouri Pain Initiative (MOPI) began a Power Over Pain public awareness and education campaign to bring attention to the undertreatment of pain and provide information to health care professionals and consumers. MOPI's aggressive multi-faceted campaign has been enormously successful. Knowledgeable volunteers with MOPI gave presentations to civic and community groups, health care professionals, corporate employees, and senior and minority-based organizations. During September Pain Awareness Month, MOPI members secured a proclamation from the Governor, held a Pain Advocacy Day at the State Capitol, wrote op-eds, letters-to-the editor, and provided interviews for articles that appeared in major newspapers and magazines, such as the Kansas City Star, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Rural Missourian - publications with a combined readership of over one million people. In addition, pain management advocates participated in radio and television programs that were broadcast to audiences in the state's top media markets. The MOPI also creatively collaborated with the Meals on Wheels program in St. Louis to include important pain management literature along with the meals delivered to 4,000 persons in the city. Congratulations MOPI on a fabulous year. For more information about MOPI visit, http://www.missouripain.org/

FDA ISSUES ALERT ON METHADONE

The Food and Drug Administration recently warned the public and health care professionals about the use of methadone (marketed as Dolophine) citing reports of deaths and life-threatening side effects in patients newly starting methadone for pain control and in patients who have switched to methadone after being treated for pain with other strong narcotic pain relievers. For more information, visit the FDA website at: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/methadone/default.htm

STUDY DISPELS MYTH THAT OPIOIDS HASTEN DEATH

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) says a study in the December issue of the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management helps dispel the myth that the use of opioids for persons with advanced illness hastens death. The study's authors examined the outcomes of hospice patients receiving opioids and showed that opioid dosing had little effect on the variation of length of survival for these patients. The authors concluded that concern about hastening death does not justify withholding opioid therapy. Read the NHPCO's comments and download a copy of the article at www.nhpco.org

NEW WARNINGS PROPOSED FOR POPULAR PAIN RELIEVERS

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is proposing a new federal rule that would strengthen the warning labels for over the counter pain medications. The agency wants manufacturers of acetaminophen, aspirin and ibuprofen products to include information regarding the potential for stomach bleeding and liver damage and when to consult a doctor. For more information visit the FDA website at http://www.fda.gov/

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