APF Updates
Action of the Month: Ask Five People to Join APF!
Growing membership is vital to creating a powerful movement and improving the lives of people living with pain. We need your help! This month’s Action of the Month is to ask five people you know to join APF. Learn more
New! Information on Orofacial Pain
Orofacial pain — pain felt in the face, mouth, nose, ears, eyes, neck or head — can be caused by a number of conditions or diseases. Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and trigeminal neuralgia (TN) are two orofacial pain conditions that can cause persistent pain and affect quality of life. Learn more about TMD and TN.
APF Announces Changes to Board of Directors
The American Pain Foundation (APF) Board of Directors elected Mary Vargas, Esq., its new Board president and chair in November 2011, effective January 1, 2012. As a partner with Stein & Vargas, LLP, Vargas specializes in the nationwide representation of individuals with disabilities in civil rights litigation. She began advocating for people with pain as the result of her own experiences living with pain after a serious car accident in 1996. She previously served as vice chair and is a founding member of the organization’s Pain Community Advisory Council. Learn More
Novartis Voluntarily Recalls Some Over-the-Counter Medications, Issues Temporary Suspension of Manufacturing Operations
Novartis has recalled 1,645 lots of over-the-counter medications, including Excedrin, Bufferin, NoDoz and Gas‑X, following hundreds of complaints of broken and chipped pills and inconsistent bottle packaging that could cause pills to be mixed up. Related to this recall, Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced that a temporary shut-down of a manufacturing facility was required, where some of Endo’s products are also packaged. The company says pharmacies may experience a short-term shortage of certain opioid analgesics. Learn More
Pain and Travel Guide: How to Plan Before You Go
PainSAFE™(Pain Safety & Access For Everyone) is unveiling new pain and travel resources in time for the holiday rush. These materials are being developed with input from people living with pain who know the specific challenges that often arise with travel. Learn more
New! Pain and Spirituality
Pain affects us physically, mentally, socially, and spiritually. There are things we can do in each of these dimensions to live better lives with pain. The John Oakley Pain and Spirituality Center features information and the opportunity for dialogue about how spirituality can help in healing. Learn more
PainSAFE Initiative Expands — New Section on CAM
PainSAFE™(Pain Safety & Access For Everyone) educational initiative now includes information and resources for people with pain and health care professionals on the appropriate and safe use of complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies for managing pain. Learn more
New Pain and Policy Resources Now Available
Policy work can be daunting, especially for those who've never done it before. But it's an essential step to ensuring quality care. The American Pain Foundation (APF) has developed new online resources to help elevate the awareness and sense of urgency surrounding pain management issues for various policymakers. This includes a How to for pain advocates, steps to help shape pain policy, as well as a comprehensive guide for policymakers about pain and its management. Learn more
Free Community Event for People with Pain
APF is proudly teaming up with Albany Medical Center to host a free community educational event, Getting the Help YOU Deserve, for people with pain and caregivers on Saturday, October 15,2011, in Troy, New York. Learn more.
National APF Poll Uncovers Difficulties Reaching Pain Care Providers with Questions about Treatment
APF released survey results today showing that 17% of adults with chronic pain who have tried to reach their primary pain care providers with questions face difficulties doing so. The national survey commissioned by APF and conducted online by Harris Interactive also found that nearly half (43%) of those who have sought out pain treatment options had questions about their treatment after they left their provider’s office. Learn more
Fall Issue of Pain Community News
Hot off the (virtual) presses! The Fall 2011 issue of Pain Community News is now available. Inside this issue, you’ll find articles on Pain Awareness Month activities, reframing your pain, smartphone apps for your health, journaling for pain relief and APF welcoming its new COO. Also, included are Top 10 Tips for Preparing for the Pain from Surgery, fast facts, APF’s volunteer corner and Pain Facts vs Fiction.
Please share this electronic version (available in PDF or Flash) with friends, family and coworkers. Missed an issue? Check out back issues here.
September is Pain Awareness Month!
Join the “If I Lived in a World with Less Pain, I Could…” campaign to raise awareness and help secure a first-ever presidential proclamation naming every September National Pain Awareness Month. Speak out about what YOU could do if YOU lived in a World with Less Pain. Let’s make history together! Learn more
Summer Issue of Pain Community News
Hot off the (virtual) presses! The Summer 2011 issue of Pain Community News is now available. Inside this issue, you’ll find articles on how not to pay when you play this summer, using humor to help cope with pain, safe use of over-the-counter (OTC) medications, Top 10 Tips for setting limits... Learn More
Pain Medications Voluntarily Recalled for Mislabeling
Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Qualitest, a generic drug manufacturing subsidiary, issued voluntary recalls on June 27, 2011 for certain lots of oxycodone with acetaminophen (Endocet), hydrocodone with acetaminophen (generic Vicodin) and butalbital, acetaminophen and... Learn More
Text PAIN to 80077 and Help Support APF
You can now lend your support to APF via your mobile telephone! Simply text the word PAIN to 80077 on your mobile phone and make a $10 tax-deductible donation to APF.* Your gift helps us to continue in our mission to educate, support and advocate for people affected by pain. Visit www.painfoundation.org/donate to learn more.
*Charges will appear on your wireless bill or be deducted from your prepaid balance. All purchases must be authorized by account holder. Message and data rates may apply. Text STOP to 80077 to STOP. Text HELP to 80077 for HELP. Full Terms: www.mGive.org/T. Privacy Policy.
New Resource for Hispanic Americans with Pain
American Pain Foundation (APF) launches “Explain Your Pain” initiative to educate and empower Hispanic Americans about chronic pain and foster improved dialogue between people with pain and their health care providers. An “Explain Your Pain” brochure, available in Spanish and English contains a convenient self-assessment worksheet for people with pain to track how their pain feels, where it hurts and when they hurt to help them communicate their pain to their health care provider. Learn more about the initiative.
Con la ayuda del cuestionario que se adjunta, usted puede probar formas prácticas y satisfactorias de hablar con su médico acerca del dolor crónico y manejarlo según sus necesidades. Usted tiene a disposición muchas opciones para tratar las afecciones relacionadas con el dolor y junto a su médico pueden analizar cuál es el mejor tratamiento para usted.
American Pain Foundation Hires Chief Operating Officer
The American Pain Foundation (APF) is pleased to announce that Eric Hauth has joined the organization as the chief operating officer (COO). Hauth, who has more than 11 years of management and director experience in the nonprofit and corporate arena, will manage the day-to-day operations and provide strategic leadership and direction to APF in this newly created position. He will work in partnership with CEO Will Rowe, APF staff and Board members to continue to fulfill APF’s mission of serving people affected by pain. Read full bio.
New Resources on Safe Use of NSAID and Acetaminophen Medications
APF’s PainSAFE (Pain Safety & Access For Everyone) educational initiative now includes information and resources for people with pain and health care professionals on the appropriate and safe use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen medications. In addition to online information, APF will launch national public service announcements emphasizing the safe use of pain treatment options including medications containing NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) and acetaminophen (Tylenol, APAP). Visit www.painsafe.org to explore all of PainSAFE’s resources available to you. Read the press release.
Pain Community News Now Available
Read all about it! The spring issue of Pain Community News is now available. Inside this issue, you’ll find articles on the healing power of journaling, an interview with the director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (to read the complete article click here), Top 10 Tips for explaining your pain to others, five things you can do today to get a better night’s sleep, Fast Facts on thoracic outlet syndrome, advice from a social security disability benefits advocate, updates about Washington state policies affecting pain management and the APF advocacy summit, volunteer profiles, and much more! Please forward this electronic version to friends, family and coworkers.
Join Us for an Educational Event on Pain and Your Rights
APF is hosting an educational event in Seattle on Saturday, April 16, 2011. Join us and learn about the pain care YOU deserve. Register today and help us spread the word.
AAPM Patient Advocate Award
The American Pain Foundation (APF) proudly announces that its CEO Will Rowe received the 2011 Patient Advocacy Award from the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) on Saturday, March 26, 2011, during AAPM’s annual meeting near Washington, DC. This award recognizes activity of an individual in advocating for appropriate evaluation and treatment of people suffering from pain.
Dr. Scott Fishman, past president of AAPM and current president and chair of the APF Board of Directors presented Rowe with the award saying, “Under Will’s leadership, APF has doubled in size and emerged as the leading pain advocacy organization in the country. APF has developed a nationwide grassroots pain advocacy structure [the Action Network], which has been effectively engaged in advancing positive state and national pain policy. Rowe is one of the founders of the Pain Care Forum, which now has 62 member organizations addressing national policy priorities. Will’s work was instrumental in the passage of the Military and Veteran Pain Acts and the inclusion of several pain provisions in the Affordable Health Care Act. He has chaired multiorganizational committees working on FDA issues about REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) and safe use of acetaminophen.”
During his acceptance speech, Rowe stated that this award was not for himself but for APF and lauded the great work and contributions of APF staff members, board members and volunteers that made this possible. He urged AAPM and others to become united and committed to working together as a collective voice of all pain practitioners and the millions of people affected by pain; thus creating the massive advocacy movement to improve pain care for all.
King Pharmaceuticals Announces a Voluntary Recall of Embeda Extended Release Capsules
King Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer, voluntarily recalled all dosage forms of the extended release capsules of morphine sulfate with naltrexone hydrochloride (Embeda) from U.S. pharmaceutical wholesalers and retailers on March 10, 2011. Learn more.
Taking an Opioid? APF Unveils New Worksheets to Help
If you are prescribed an opioid for pain relief, there are many things you need to know. Two new handouts — Chronic Opioid Therapy: Preparing for Your Appointments and Opioid Dos and Don’ts to Help Avoid Problems will help you prepare for follow up medical appointments and give you tips for staying safe. These worksheets are designed to help you stay on top of your pain care and better communicate with your health care provider.
Chronic Opioid Therapy Worksheet: A Companion to Chronic Pain Treatment is an easy-to-use worksheet for health care providers that delineates key components that should be included in each interaction with patients receiving chronic opioid therapy. Integrating these components into a health care provider’s practice can aid in optimizing analgesia for people with pain, safe and responsible use of opioid therapy and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations.
For more information about how to safely use opioids and other pain therapies, visit www.painsafe.org.
APF Releases Report on Cancer Pain
The American Pain Foundation (APF) is proud to release its report “Breakthrough Cancer Pain: Mending the break in the continuum of care.” This 24-page document builds upon our initial call to action released last fall and summarizes discussions, including recommendations and areas of consensus that emerged from the February 23, 2010 roundtable organized by APF. The event, held at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, drew participants from nationally renowned medical institutions and professional and consumer advocacy organizations.
Safety Alert: Urgent Medical Device Correction and Recall for Pain Infusion Pumps
FDA issued a class I recall of Medtronic’s SynchroMed II and SynchroMed EL implantable infusion pumps and refills kits. These have been recalled because pocket fills — the unintended injection of drugs or fluids into the tissue under the skin at the pump pocket site — have occurred and may result in patient harm, serious injury, and/or death due to drug overdose or underdose. Learn More
Safety Alert: Voluntary Recall of Hydrocodone with Acetaminophen and Phenobarbital
If you are taking generic hydrocodone or phenobarbital, please check your lot numbers immediately. Qualitest, a generic drug manufacturer recently acquired by Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc., issued a voluntary recall of three lots (11,000 bottles) of its hydrocodone with acetaminophen product on February 5, 2011. One bottle was found to be mislabeled, causing the medication to be identified as Phenobarbital. Learn more.
Fibromyalgia Awareness Project Expands to Georgia, Michigan and New Jersey
After the successful launch of the Is Fibro the Cause? project in Missouri, the APF Action Network is expanding to three new states — Georgia, Michigan and New Jersey. This project is raising awareness about fibromyalgia, an often misdiagnosed, musculoskeletal pain condition that affects up to six million Americans. The APF Action Network is working with community and state-based alliance groups and fibro advocates in Georgia, Michigan and New Jersey to disseminate the Is Fibro the Cause? toolkit. Not only does the toolkit include helpful tips and resources on how to recognize fibromyalgia signs and symptoms, it also provides a worksheet to help track symptoms and facilitate communication with your health care provider. Click here to learn more about the project and our collaborators.
New Q&As on Opioids
What is an opioid treatment agreement? Has your health care provider requested that you take a drug test? Have you been asked to take a "drug holiday?" What is the best way to safely store and dispose of your pain medications? APF's Q&As offer expert explanations about common issues surrounding opioids and pain management. Learn more.
Safety Alert: Reports of Accidental Overdose from Medication Dosing Errors
Roxane Laboratories and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently notified health care providers about serious adverse events and deaths resulting from accidental overdose of morphine sulfate oral solutions, particularly the concentrated preparation 100 mg/5 mL. In most of these cases, morphine sulfate oral solutions that were ordered in milligrams (mg) were mistakenly interchanged for milliliters (mL) during the dosing of the preparation. New labeling and packaging by Roxane has been FDA-approved to help curb this risk. Learn more about these changes.
APF Hosts Meeting on Safe Use of Acetaminophen
In November 2010, the American Pain Foundation (APF) hosted a meeting, “Seeking Solutions: Advancing Understanding for the Safe Use of Acetaminophen.” The meeting brought together leading experts on liver injury and the safe use of acetaminophen. The meeting’s objective was to identify and evaluate measures to decrease morbidity and mortality of acetaminophen-related hepatic (liver) injury. Panel members included clinicians, people with pain, representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and the Food and Drug Administration and individuals with expertise in poison control, pharmacology, industry, toxicology and medication safety. For more information, see the PainSAFE website.
Pain Community News Now Available
The Winter 2011 issue of Pain Community News, APF’s esteemed quarterly newsletter, is now available. This issue is chock full of articles about the role of inflammation and pain, backpack safety for kids, Hurricane Katrina and planning for natural disasters, gender differences in pain, caregiving during the holidays, fast facts on plantar fasciitis and much more. Also look for updates on APF’s Military/Veterans Pain Initiative, PainSAFE and a recap of Pain Awareness Month successes. Click here for the PDF version or read our e-version that allows you to virtually flip through the pages.
Webinar: "Maybe It's Fibro? Communicating and Advocating for Better Care"
The fourth installment in our “Maybe It’s Fibro?” webinar series was presented on October 26th. This one-hour webinar features Charles W. Lapp, MD, who discusses how people living with fibromyalgia can better communicate with their health care team and best advocate for themselves. Carolyn Noel, APF Action Network Leader for Georgia, also highlights ways people with pain can advocate for others on a state and national level. This event was recorded and is available for replay on our website. Watch the replay today!
APF Members Took Action!
Thank you APF members for responding so promptly to our request to communicate with U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) and the Medicare Model Guidelines Expert Panel regarding the classification of fibromyalgia and coverage of medications. USP has included fibromyalgia as a class in their draft guidelines v5.0. APF is pleased that fibromyalgia has received recognition and continues to support advocacy efforts that improve access and coverage to all FDA-approved treatment options for pain.
APF Releases 2009 Annual Report
APF is pleased to release its 2009 Annual Report, Advancing Pain Management through Education, Policy Efforts and Research Promotion. This report showcases key accomplishments and individual, corporate and foundation support. It is available as a PDF or an e-publication.
American Pain Foundation Addresses Breakthrough Cancer Pain
People who have cancer often experience pain from the cancer itself, treatment for it or conditions related to it. Unfortunately, cancer-related pain, and breakthrough cancer pain in particular, are poorly understood. Earlier this year, the American Pain Foundation (APF) convened a roundtable with experts from leading medical centers, professional medical societies and patient advocacy and cancer care organizations to discuss ways to improve management of both background and breakthrough cancer pain.
APF’s Breakthrough Cancer Pain: A Break in the Continuum of Care offers a glimpse into why cancer-related pain and specifically breakthrough pain is such a pressing issue. This summary explores the challenges and strategies to improve pain care among those in active treatment and remission. A more extensive report and call to action will be released later this fall. As an added feature, we are pleased to share with you APF’s breakthrough cancer pain video which is available on YouTube. For more information, visit our breakthrough cancer pain online guide.
APF Launches Initiative to Educate Consumers and Providers about the Safe Use of Pain Therapies
The American Pain Foundation (APF) is proud to launch PainSAFE™ (Pain Safety & Access For Everyone), a new initiative that educates people with pain and health care professionals about the appropriate and safe use of pain management therapies in an effort to reduce risk and improve access to quality pain care. Patient safety is a pressing health care challenge that affects millions of people. Pain management therapies provide significant benefits to people with pain but no treatment option – including the decision not to treat pain – is without risk. PainSAFE offers up-to-date information, practical resources and tools to help educate consumers about pain treatment options and their safe use. It also includes a central hub of evidence-based information and practice-based tools for health care providers. The content of PainSAFE will continue to evolve and adapt as scientific and policy research uncovers new findings about pain treatment and safety and the real-world effects of recommended approaches. Visit www.painsafe.org to explore the information and resources available to you.
APF's Position Statement on Access to Pain Care
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. Early intervention can reduce health care costs, limit disability and dramatically improve the lives of people living with pain and their loved ones. To this end, APF advocates for improved access to effective pain care as a guiding principle and integral part of its mission. People experiencing pain have a basic human right to timely, appropriate and effective treatment of pain. Read our position statement to learn more.
