Pain in the News
The Medtronic Foundation recently donated $1,000 to the American Pain Foundation to honor Global Hero Emily Bredehoft. Bredehoft has an implantable spinal cord stimulator (SCS) to treat chronic pain and was chosen by the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon to be part of its 2011 class of 25 Global Heroes after a worldwide search for runners whose lives have been improved with the help of medical devices. Learn more
APF Former Board President Featured in LEADERS Magazine
Scott M. Fishman, MD, former APF Board of Directors chair and president, was interviewed for an article published in the October issue of LEADERS magazine. LEADERS is distributed to high-level decision makers including business leaders, diplomatic corps and government officials. Dr. Fishman discussed how APF’s educational, support and advocacy efforts are improving quality of life for people with pain.
APF Communications Director, Actress Jennifer Grey Conduct National Media Tour
Micke Brown, BSN, RN, APF director of communications, served as a clinical spokesperson for a two-day media tour in New York with actress and pain advocate Jennifer Grey. The duo discussed the newly launched Hands On Approach for Pain Management initiative, stressing the importance of open and honest communication between people living with pain and their health care providers. The tour generated extensive media coverage for pain, including an article in Ladies Home Journal (LHJ).
From left: Jennifer Grey; Amelia Harnish, writer for LHJ; Micke Brown. (Source: LHJ, used with permission)
APF, Pain Management Nurses Honor Iraq War Veteran Army Spc. David “Alex” Knapp
On September 8, 2011, 450 pain management nurses attending the American Society of Pain Management Nursing’s (ASPMN) 21st annual meeting in Tuscon, Ariz., honored Army Spc. David “Alex” Knapp. Spc. Alex Knapp became a double amputee at the age of 22, after he was severely injured in Iraq. He returned home after extensive rehabilitation and tragically suffered a fatal heart attack in October 2010 at just 24 years of age.
The story of Knapp’s journey in rehabilitation and reintegration in civilian life was featured during an ASPMN dinner symposium, “War on Pain: Improving Pain Care for Combat-Injured Military Personnel & Veterans from OEF & OIF Conflicts.”
With the support of the American Pain Foundation (APF), Knapp’s mother Jeannette Knapp and brother Shane attended the event and accepted the recognition made in his honor.
Distinguished presenters for this program included:
- Rosemary C. Polomano, PhD, RN, FAAN, associate professor of pain practice, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, chair and moderator;
- Chester “Trip” Buckenmaier III,MD, program director, Defense and Veterans Center for Integrative Pain Management, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC;
- Col. Kevin T. Galloway, U.S. Army Nurse Corps chief of staff; and,
- Robert Kerns, PhD, national program director for pain management, Veterans Health Administration; chief, psychology service, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, Conn.; professor of psychiatry, neurology, and psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Conn.
Micke Brown, APF director of communications and a past president of ASPMN, spoke on behalf of APF at the event about pain management nurses’ duty to provide the best pain care possible to those who have given so much to our country and our freedom. “By paying tribute to Alex and his heroic actions, we help raise awareness of the need for timely and appropriate pain care for our injured active-duty military and veteran population. His remarkable recovery and love of life are a testament to a successful approach to pain management,” Brown said. “APF is one of the few civilian organizations to have dedicated resources for pain surrounding active-duty military, veterans and their families.”
Alex Knapp’s Story
In March 2008, Spc. Knapp, an Army police offer stationed in Iraq, had both of his legs amputated above his knees because of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device blew up the vehicle he was driving. A fellow soldier, who was in the truck with Knapp, described Knapp’s attempt to apply the vehicle’s emergency brake after the explosion as “super human.” Four other soldiers were injured in the blast.
Knapp underwent at least 16 surgeries, endured numerous complications and recuperated at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C. Knapp, before returning to his hometown of Shelby Township, Mich., in September 2009. In December 2009, he moved into a barrier-free home specifically designed for him by the charitable organization, Home for Our Troops.
Knapp was admired by his friends and family members for his positive upbeat spirit and participated in charity work and speaking engagements to help others going through similar situations. He also participated in competitive sled hockey and was an alternate for the 2010 U.S. National Junior Sled Team. Although Knapp and his family members were told his participation in a high-intensity sport would further strain his injuries and his body, Knapp played at a high level of competition and suffered a fatal heart attack during an exhibition game. For more about Alex Knapp, see:
- http://www.homesforourtroops.org/site/PageServer?pagename=DavidKnapp
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XJtHDAGfPY
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QSbZWYmYec&feature=related
- http://www.theoaklandpress.com/articles/2010/10/04/news/doc4ca9c979ac8c5271691358.txt
PCAC, FDA Discuss Patient-Provider Agreements (PPAs)
Leaders of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Safe Use Initiative workgroup on patient-provider agreements (PPAs) and several members of APF’s Pain Community Advisory Council (PCAC) discussed PPAs (also called opioid contracts, opioid agreements, treatment agreements) during an hour-long conference call on September 15, 2011. Each participant spoke openly and thoughtfully about the effects these agreements have on people living with pain, including the educational benefits and the punitive barriers experienced or reported. The group also discussed possible solutions to create a balanced tool that may help mitigate preventable harm to others.
Moving forward, a member of PCAC will participate in calls with FDA’s Safe Use Initiative workgroup on PPAs to provide the perspective of people with pain. Permanent members of this workgroup who represent the APF membership’s perspective include Will Rowe, APF CEO; Micke Brown, APF director of communications; and Mary Vargas, APF Board vice chair.
The FDA Safe Use Initiative was unveiled on November 4, 2009, to develop targeted solutions for reducing injuries from inappropriate medication use which can be the result of incomplete access to information about a medication, an individual receiving medical care, or a person’s medical condition. Through grassroots collaborative work, the goal for every focus issue is to diminish preventable harm. Workgroup members include stakeholders such as expert clinicians and researchers, professional organizations, risk management attorneys, medical societies and consumer groups. The Safe Use Initiative first focused on acetaminophen toxicity, and later worked on pain management for older adults and surgical fire prevention.
To address opioid safety, the patient provider education document workgroup was created and held its first meeting on April 27, 2011. The workgroup presented a statement of work:
- To design a written model document that can be voluntarily used by health care providers (prescribers) to guide their discussion with patients and to provide information to patients regarding the benefits, risks and limitations of opioid therapy for pain.
- To design the model document to inform and educate the patient, but that should not be considered a replacement of the discussions regarding pain treatment that should occur between patient and health care provider.
- To develop this document and possibly other supporting materials to facilitate patient safety around opioid use is an evolving process in which evaluation of the model document will be performed periodically to incorporate updates, revisions, and possible supporting materials.
Other federal organizations, like the White House Office on National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) are looking to the FDA Safe Use Initiative for recommendations and guidance around this issue.
APF Applauds Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) Report
The IOM Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education report on the state of pain care in our nation was released to the public at noon E.T. on Wednesday, June 29, 2011, following a live event in Washington D.C. Learn more.
APF Board Member Mary Vargas, JD, to Serve on NIH Pain Research Committee
APF is proud to announce that Mary Vargas, JD, vice chair of the APF Board of Directors and member of the Pain Community Advisory Council (PCAC), has accepted an invitation to serve on the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Learn more.
TED Releases Video on Chronic Pain
Watch and listen to Elliot Krane, MD, pediatric pain expert, discuss the mysteries of pain on TED.com. Learn how the common experience of acute pain (from an injury or surgery) is different from the disease of chronic pain. See how one young girl’s pain story that began with a simple sprain and lead to a severe form of neuropathic pain was dramatically improved by the help of Dr. Krane and others along with a lot of hard work. Now, she has gained her life back.
Government Unveils National Plan to Curb Prescription Drug Abuse and Announces New Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) for Long-acting Opioids
In the spirit of cooperation, multiple government agencies together released the Obama Administration's comprehensive action plan to address the prescription drug abuse crises in, America. During the multi-agency White House press conference, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the new REMS for long-acting opioids. Learn more.
Friends of APF Honored by AAPM for Advancing the Field of Pain Medicine
APF representatives proudly watched as several unsung heroes of the pain field, including APF’s CEO Will Rowe, were honored during the American Academy of Pain Medicine’s (AAPM) annual awards celebration on Saturday, March 26, 2011. Learn more
APF Board Chair and President Participates in Expert Panel for Surgeon General's Office
APF's Dr. Scott Fishman (right, pictured with Surgeon General Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA) participated in an expert panel on the prevention of prescription drug abuse among youth. The panel was hosted by the Office of the Surgeon General and was held at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in Washington, DC, March 28-29, 2011. Dr. Fishman also spoke about appropriate prescribing practices as part of the health care setting panel. The overall goal of the two-day meeting was to review the existing science of prescription drug abuse and to help guide the development of a call to action by the Office of the Surgeon General.
Tell Your Pain Story to Policymakers Today
The Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education is calling on the pain community to help committee members better understand what it is like to live with pain. This is a critical time to share your story, whether you are an individual with pain, family member, caregiver or health care provider. Convened by Congress, this committee is reviewing pain research, care and education and exploring ways to improve pain treatment in the United States. Learn more.
Act Now: Biased News Article Perpetuates Stigmas about Pain and its Treatment in Military/Veteran Population
Help us put a stop to erroneous and unbalanced reporting. On January 27, USA Today published two articles by Gregg Zoroya, General's Story a Warning about Use of Painkillers and Up to 35% of Wounded Soldiers Addicted to Drugs. It is critical that factual information about pain and its management be available to active duty personnel, veterans and their family members. Learn more.
National Survey of Physicians Reveals Misperceptions about Opioid Misuse and Abuse
Pain is a serious and costly public health issue — unfortunately, many barriers exist in our society and culture that place access to pain management out of reach for many Americans. Improving access to pain care is a complex issue and difficult problem, but the American Pain Foundation (APF) believes that the effects of pain on the individual and society can be alleviated or managed with proper medical attention. Learn More
REMS: The FDA and Pain Medications
What are REMS and what do they have to do with people who live with pain? How can you make a difference in shaping pain policy? Read the latest about how REMS has the potential to affect the lives of millions of people who live with pain and the health care professionals who care for them and visit the new REMS FAQ to learn more.
