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The mission of Pain Treatment Topics is to serve as a noncommercial resource for healthcare professionals and their patients, providing open access to clinical news, information, research, and education for a better understanding of evidence-based pain-management practices. Commercial advertising is not accepted.
Pain-Topics.org Press Releases
 News Flash...
USA Healthcare Reforms Include Good News
for Pain Sufferers
 The 76+-million persons with pain in the United States can rest easier: their needs were not forgotten in recently passed healthcare reform legislation. While it may take some time, more attention and funding will be devoted to examining critical issues and developing more effective pain therapies.
The historic healthcare reform initiatives recently approved by Congress and signed into U.S. law include several provisions of earlier legislation, titled the “National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009.” This Act was approved by the House of Representatives about a year ago but was still in a Senate committee awaiting further action. However, several components of the Act were included in the new healthcare reform legislation, including a) more research at the National Institutes of Health, b) an Institute of Medicine conference that will report its findings to Congress, and c) education and training for health professionals on pain treatment and management.
 See more details in UPDATES weblog <Click Here>
Also see our News UPDATES Weblog
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Supporter News...
Pain Treatment Topics provides news from our supporters for the information and convenience of our audience and it is not intended for promotional purposes. This also should not be considered as an endorsement or recommendation of the products or services offered by our supporters.
FDA Approves First Buprenorphine Patch in U.S.
 On July 1, 2010, Purdue Pharma L.P. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its Butrans™ (buprenorphine) transdermal system for the management of moderate to severe chronic pain in patients requiring around-the-clock opioid analgesia. Each Butrans patch — available in 5, 10, and 20 mcg/hour dosages — delivers continuous release of buprenorphine for 7 days. It is recommended for patients needing 80 mg/day or less of morphine-equivalent opioid medication.
Buprenorphine is a unique opioid that binds very tightly to and acts as a partial agonist at mu-opioid receptors and as an antagonist at kappa receptors. Some authors have suggested that it has a wider safety profile than full mu-opioid agonists and milder withdrawal signs and symptoms upon termination. However, the use of other long-acting or extended-release opioids must be reduced before starting buprenorphine therapy. For an excellent, evidence-based overview of “Buprenorphine Considerations for Pain Management” <click here>.
Previously, only a parenteral formulation of buprenorphine was specifically approved for pain in the U.S. (since 1981), and more recent sublingual formulations have not been FDA-approved for analgesia. Efficacy of the Butrans patch for pain reduction was demonstrated in four 12-week well-controlled clinical trials in patients with either low-back pain or osteoarthritis. The buprenorphine component is sequestered in an adhesive matrix — an approach that some researchers have believed might reduce abuse potential. The manufacturer, Purdue, will be implementing a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) to accompany introduction of Butrans.
 Full Butrans prescribing information is available <here>
Additional information will be available at: http://www.Butrans.com
MERCO Provides Pain Management Resources Online
Purdue Pharma L.P. has launched their Medical Education Resource Catalog Online (MERCO), a web-based resource providing healthcare professionals in the U.S. with access to free educational materials to help improve the care of people with pain. Free registration is required.
Access MERCO at: http://www.purduepharmamededresources.com/
"In the Face of Pain" Advocacy Toolkit Available
 Healthcare professionals and patient advocates working to alleviate suffering and improve the care of Americans with undertreated pain now have a resource to help them achieve greater awareness and understanding of this serious national health problem. "In the Face of Pain®" is a free interactive toolkit enabling advocates to create action plans, educational materials, and presentations tailored to specific areas of pain focus.
Purdue Pharma is a Pain Treatment Topics supporter.
Access the toolkit at: http://inthefaceofpain.com
Affiliate News & Events...
What/Who are Pain Treatment Topics Affiliates?
These are associations, foundations, societies, journals, government agencies, educational institutions, and service organizations that are deemed to excellently serve the special interests and needs of the pain management community. By mutual agreement, Pain Treatment Topics affiliates or partners with such organizations for purposes of reciprocal promotion in order to achieve more effective and widespread communication of each organization's offerings and mission. There is no financial relationship or formal obligation binding Pain Treatment Topics and the Affiliate organization.
Plan Now for Continuing Education this fall...
AAPM Conference September 21-24, 2010
 Registration for the AAPM (American Academy of Pain Management) 21st Annual Clinical Meeting in Las Vegas, NV, is now available online. This is the only educational conference that truly addresses multimodal and integrative approaches for pain management and attracts healthcare professionals representing diverse disciplines. It is a genuinely unique learning and networking opportunity.
Expert faculty will explore neuropathic pain, arthritis, pelvic pain, headache, back pain, fibromyalgia, and other disease states, and describe both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic approaches. Presentations also will focus on patient-centered care, and the role of diet, nutrition, and exercise in pain management. Functional restoration techniques, such as guided imagery, will also be discussed. Keynote presenters will discuss mindfulness-based stress reduction, pain and consciousness, and new research on the role of glial activity in chronic pain. Pre-conference sessions feature courses on interventional therapies, hypnosis, motivational interviewing, dry needling for myofascial pain, and a didactic all-day program on opioid prescribing.
Continuing education credits are available for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, psychologists, social workers, physical therapists, and other healthcare professions.
See conference details and registration information <click here>
PAINWeek September 8-11, 2010
 The collective goal and vision of PAINWeek 2010 in Las Vegas, NV, is to disseminate knowledge and tools to frontline clinicians who are faced with treating the majority of patients in pain. PAINWeek has been developed to meet the educational needs of physicians, nursing professionals, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, psychologists, and podiatrists.
PAINWeek offers a diverse curriculum and multidisciplinary faculty who present courses in the following areas: addiction, complementary & alternative medicine, geriatrics, health coaching, hypnosis, medical/legal, neurology, pain & chemical dependency, palliative care, pediatrics, pharmacology, physical medicine & rehabilitation, primary care, regional pain syndromes, and rheumatology. In all, 100+ hours of continuing medical education are presented by experts from 12 medical and patient advocacy organizations. PAINWeek is the national pain conference for frontline clinicians.
See details and register <click here>
AATOD Conference -- October 23-27, 2010 -- Focusing on Opioid Addiction Treatment
 Registration is open for the national conference of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD), October 23-27, 2010 at the Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago, IL. The conference theme, “Building Partnerships: Advancing Treatment & Recovery” focuses on the opportunities afforded for improving quality treatment for opioid dependent individuals. This is of special importance for the pain management field, as many persons coming into addiction treatment today are dependent on opioid analgesics.
AATOD conferences attract an eclectic mix of healthcare providers, international stakeholder organizations, government regulators, and patient advocates. A vital focus is on the critical role of medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence and the evidence-based science behind it. The conference provides a forum to develop consensus on the many issues that challenge treatment programs, advocates, policy makers, and partners in care. Continuing education credits are available for physicians, physicians assistants, pharmacists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and treatment counselors.
See details and register <click here>
Pain-Topics.org Press Releases...
UPDATES Weblog from Pain-Topics.org Dispels Common Myths of Pain Care
 Despite the fact that research and information in the pain management field is mushrooming, more than 75-million Americans still suffer from pain disorders of varying intensity and duration. News/Research UPDATES take a hard look at soft evidence behind many of today’s pain management practices and beliefs. The goal of this weblog from Pain Treatment Topics is to help healthcare providers and the public to develop an educated skepticism.
Download press release: PDF
Opioid Blockers May Aid Problematic-Pain Relief, Research Review Finds
 For many types of pain, prescription opioids are among the most effective analgesics; yet evidence suggests potential benefits of opioid antagonists, particularly naloxone and naltrexone. This is unexpected because these drugs displace opioid molecules from their neuroreceptors, and block opioids from attaching to and activating those receptors. A peer-reviewed, evidence-based report from Pain Treatment Topics describes naloxone and naltrexone pharmacology and the theoretical foundations of opioid antagonists for pain management. Titled “Opioid Antagonists, Naloxone & Naltrexone -- Aids for Pain Management,” the 16-page report includes summaries of 17 studies -- case examples and clinical trials -- investigating opioid-antagonist therapy in adult humans.
Download press release: PDF
See the report <Click Here>
Prescription Opioid Abuse, Addiction Less Common Than Many Believe
According to a review from Pain Treatment Topics, establishing medical policies or practices in pain management based on a presumption of high rates of opioid analgesic abuse or addiction could be misguided, resulting in added costs for healthcare delivery and the undertreatment of pain.
Download press release: PDF
See the article on page 6 in document <Click Here>
Pain Treatment Research Reports Often Cannot Be Trusted
Healthcare providers and others need to be more skeptical about what they read, hear at conferences, or see on the Internet regarding the validity of research on pain management practices, according to an evidence-based review at Pain-Topics.org.
Download press release: PDF
See the article <Click Here>
Opioid Painkillers Sometimes Make Pain Worse, According to Evidence Review
 This evidence-based review examines how ongoing opioid therapy for chronic pain can paradoxically worsen the pain in some patients, a phenomenon called Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia or OIH. The differential diagnosis of OIH form other conditions – worsening disease, opioid tolerance, withdrawal, pseudoaddiction, or addiction – is described and strategies for avoiding or managing OIH, if it occurs, are recommended.
Download press release: PDF
See the article <Click Here>
Vitamin D a Surprising 'Analgesic' for Chronic Pain
 Helping patients to overcome their chronic musculoskeletal pain and fatigue syndromes may be as simple, well tolerated, and inexpensive as an extra daily supplement of vitamin D. A comprehensive Report and a shorter Practitioner Briefing review the clinical evidence and provide clinical guidance for healthcare providers. A special Brochure for patients explains what vitamin D is, how it works, and how it can help them. <Released June 2008>
Vitamin D Provides Relief From Chronic Back Pain, Report Says
Download press release: PDF
Aches? Pain? An Extra Dose of Vitamin D May Provide Relief
Download press release: PDF
See the documents <Click Here>
Telltale Signs of Severe Pain Separate Legitimate Patients from Drug Seekers
 In this brief, ground-breaking paper, Forest Tennant, MD, DrPH, tells how uncontrolled severe pain can almost always be identified by objective physical signs that help practitioners to differentiate between drug-seekers and relief-seekers, as well as to determine if opioid dose is adequate. The fact is, he says, this sort of pain “usually produces more objective physical evidence of its presence than does the average case of diabetes or coronary artery disease. <Released June 2008>
Download press release: PDF
See the article <Click Here>
Sexual Dysfunction - A Common Problem With Opioid Pain Relievers; Treatment Helps
 Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in patients with chronic pain. Ironically, considerable evidence suggests that long-acting opioids used on a daily basis for more than a month to help relieve chronic pain can have a number of adverse effects on human endocrine function leading to sexual dysfunction. This commentary by practitioner Stephen Colameco, MD, MEd, examines the causes and diagnosis of endocrine disorders related to opioid therapy. Recommended clinical approaches for the treatment of associated sexual dysfunctions are discussed. <Released April 2008>
Download press release: PDF
See the article <Click Here>
Safety Stressed in Updated Guidance on Methadone for the Relief of Chronic Pain
 Essential guidance for practitioners on safely prescribing methadone for patients with chronic pain, along with special instructions for patients on how to avoid methadone adverse events or overdose, are available in two new documents exclusively from Pain Treatment Topics:
- “Oral Methadone Dosing for Chronic Pain”
- “Methadone Safety Handout for Patients” (in English and Spanish).
Both documents are available for free download. <Released March 2008>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
See the documents <Click Here>
Pain Patients Should Not Be Punished for Opioid Medication Abuse or Addiction
 According to this special report -- Should Opioid Abusers Be Discharged From Opioid-Analgesic Therapy? by Peggy Compton, RN, PhD -- practitioners prescribing opioids for pain should be prepared to deal with patients’ problems in using the medicines. Patients should not be discharged from treatment if opioid abuse or addiction occurs. Instead, pain practitioners should continue treatment for pain while also playing a role in addiction treatment. Compton outlines specific steps for any healthcare provider to follow. <Released January 2008>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
See the report <Click Here>
Pain-Topics.org Offers Safety Tips for Avoiding Opioid Analgesic Risks in Patients With Kidney or Liver Disease
 Patients with kidney or liver disorders often need opioid analgesics for effective pain relief. However, there is a risk of opioid overdose or other adverse events in these patients due to the possibility of altered drug pharmacokinetics and toxic accumulation of the parent opioid and/or its metabolites. This evidence-based report exclusively from Pain Treatment Topics provides a comprehensive list of clinical cautions and dosing recommendations relating to various opioids. <Released June 2007>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
See the report <Click Here>
Pain-Topics.Org Addresses Oxycodone Safety Concerns
 The misuse and abuse of oxycodone have been of great concern. A special peer-reviewed report exclusively from Pain Treatment Topics provides guidance on the safe prescribing of immediate release (IR) and controlled release (CR) oxycodone. Additionally, patient instructions handouts in English and Spanish emphasize medication compliance and safety to help prevent accidental misuse and avoidable adverse events. <Released June 2007>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
See the report and handout <Click Here>
First-Ever Guide Available for Helping Patients With Intractable Pain
Pain Treatment Topics offers the new Intractable Pain Patient's Handbook for Survival to help those suffering the constant, severe, and disabling distress of intractable pain, or IP. This condition might be simply described as “chronic pain run amok,” and it afflicts up to 70,000 patients in the U.S., who often have difficulty receiving proper treatment. Until now, there has been little guidance for practitioners or patients in managing IP. And, since IP is often undertreated, this unique guidebook also is a “must read” for healthcare providers. <Released May 2007>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
See the handbook <Click Here>
"Taking the Pain Out of Pain Research"
Pain-Topics.org Featured in U.S. Pharmacist
 "A recent Google search on the word 'pain' produced an astounding 190 million hits--a daunting amount of data for just about anyone to navigate, let alone harried physicians or pharmacists. This is the challenge that led to the creation of www.Pain-Topics.org, an evidenced-based pain management Web site designed as an unbiased clearinghouse of free-of-charge news, information, research, and education covering the causes and effective management of pain." <Released May 2007 [US Pharm. 2007;32(5):73]>
Download article PDF: <Click Here>
Report Tackles Methadone Analgesia Safety Concerns
Pain Treatment Topics identifies methadone as effective and safe; provides guidance on prescribing and patient-use for preventing methadone-associated overdoses and deaths.
<released November 2006>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
See the guidance report <Click Here>
Special Report Addresses Major Problem with
Opioid Pain Relievers
Constipation, a troublesome side effect of opioid analgesics, can be prevented and should be considered whenever these agents are prescribed. <Released August 2006>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
See the report <Click Here>
Pain-Topics.org: Bringing Order to Chaos in the
Pain Management Field.
New noncommercial website provides clinical news, information, research, and education for healthcare providers to help the millions of pain sufferers. <Released July 2006>
Download press release: PDF MSWord
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