Newswise — Chicago, Illinois - October 22, 2015 – The American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) joins the Obama Administration’s efforts to address the growing crisis of opioid abuse.
The President led the discussion among health care providers, law enforcement, community leaders and family members affected by this epidemic. He noted that more Americans die every year from drug overdoses than they do in motor vehicle crashes, and the majority of those overdoses involve prescription medications. The AAPM is committed to advancing President Obama’s charge to reach healthcare providers via awareness messaging on opioid abuse, enhancing and expanding education and training for physicians, and increasing access to naloxone to reduce deaths from overdose.
The Academy’s commitment to this initiative is demonstrated by our representation on the AMA's Task Force to Reduce Opioid Abuse and by the new diverse educational programs sponsored by AAPM. Educational programming includes the 2015 Methadone E-Learning Education Curriculum designed to equip prescribers with the knowledge, skills, and behaviors they need to implement evidence-based safe prescribing practices and Providers’ Clinical Support System for Opioid Therapies (PCSS-O) webinars. Along with these programs, AAPM continues to offer the Essential Tools for Treating the Patient in Pain™ and other online learning educational content.
In a statement, Dr. Daniel B. Carr, AAPM President-elect, who serves on the AMA Task Force said "As a multidisciplinary organization of physicians and other healthcare providers dedicated to relieving pain, AAPM has long provided prescribers with resources to balance benefits and risks of all pain therapies as they construct safe, effective and personalized treatment plans. AAPM is delighted to participate in broad-based efforts to augment existing resources through patient and provider education, and looks forward to supporting these ongoing efforts."
Opioid abuse is a serious public health problem that has reached crisis levels across the United States. The Academy remains committed to addressing opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose and being a partner in solutions that are currently underway.
Read the fact sheet regarding efforts to address Prescription Drug Abuse
Reference AAPM's Eight Opioid Safety Practices for PatientsYour text to link...
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About the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM)Founded in 1983, the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) is the premier scientific and educational association for pain physicians and their treatment teams with over 2,400 members. AAPM is dedicated to advancing the specialty of pain medicine in order to optimize the health of patients in pain and eliminate pain as a major public health problem by advancing the practice and specialty of pain medicine through education, training, advocacy and research.
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