News
-
ACPA Consumer Guide to Pain Medication and Treatments
January 4, 2010
The ACPA believes that people with chronic pain benefit from being well informed about their medications. This knowledge may relieve the fears that can interfere with receiving maximum benefits from medications.This supplement is not meant to serve as medical advice for your condition or regarding your medication needs. Remember that the best source of information about your health and medication needs is from an open dialogue with your treating doctor
-
Disposal by Flushing of Certain Unused Medicines: What You Should Know
10/14/2009
Medicines play an important role in treating certain conditions and diseases, but they must be taken with care. Unused portions of these medicines must be disposed of properly to avoid harm. Almost all medicines can be thrown away in the household trash after mixing them with some unpalatable substance (e.g., coffee grounds) and sealing them in a container.
However, certain medicines may be especially harmful and, in some cases, fatal in a single dose if they are used by someone other than the person the medicine was prescribed for.
-
Pain Survey of Older Adults
11/3/2009
The Alliance for Aging Research commissioned a nationwide survey of 800 U.S. adults age 65 and older to better understand their attitudes, perceptions and concerns regarding age-related pain management and changes under consideration by the FDA to over-the-counter acetaminophen products. Clarus Research Group conducted the survey on behalf of the Alliance for Aging Research between September 14 and September 18, 2009. Click below for complete survey or go to: http://www.agingresearch.org/content/article/detail/2442 to read the complete survey
-
Follow Directions: How to Use Methadone Safely
5/31/09
Follow Directions: How to Use Methadone Safely – is designed to reach treatment programs and patients, and consumers to help educate them about the safe use of methadone
-
House passed the Pain Care Policy Act of 2009
3/30/2009
Pain is the most common reason Americans access the health care system and is a leading contributor to health care costs. Pain is also a leading cause of disability. Most painful conditions can be relieved with proper treatment, and providing adequate pain management is a crucial component of improving and maintaining quality of life for patients, survivors, and their loved ones. Yet people in pain often face significant barriers that can prevent proper assessment, diagnosis, treatment and management of their pain. The National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009 is designed to address many of these barriers by improving pain care research, education, training, access, outreach and care.
-
Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
5/12/09
The National Fibromyalgia Association’s theme for the 2009 National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day campaign is “Fibromyalgia Affects Everyone” and will focus on the far-reaching effects of this disorder—from broken lives to the economic costs to patients and society.
Visit the National Fibromyalgia Association at http://www.fmaware.org to learn more.
-
Pain QuickAlert
February 27, 2009
Coalition of Pain Experts Offers Guidance on Measures to Prevent Misuse and Abuse of Pain Medications; Calls for Treating Chronic Pain as a Chronic Disease
-
Patient Advocate Foundation’s Co-Pay Relief Program (CPR)
02/01/2009
Patient Advocate Foundation’s Co-Pay Relief Program (CPR) is pleased to announce the launch of a pain fund to serve patients suffering with chronic pain, beginning on February 1, 2009.
-
Fibromyalgia PSA
12/17/2008
The First Lady of Idaho, Lori Otter has partnered with the ACPA to create a public service announcement on managing chronic pain. Click the link below to view.
View the PSA
-
Follow-Up From Your Visit
December 9, 2008
It is important that after your appointment with your doctor you follow through with what was discussed during your visit. The ACPA Follow-Up tool provides you with this simple guide to ensure that you complete all the treatments/advice/ recommendations. Keep in mind that you play a significant role in your health care.
-
When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs
October 29, 2008
A very successful webcast on October 22, facilitated by General Barry McCaffrey, When Good Medicines Become Bad Drugs, led panelists through a robust and insightful discussion about the safe and appropriate use of prescription opioid pain medications. An archive of the webcast is available: www.goodmedicinesbaddrugs.com.
-
House of Representatives passed HR 2994, The National Pain Care Act
9/24/08
The Pain Care Act is designed to improve research, training, education and outreach for pain care. For more infomration and the text of HR 2994 click below.
-
September as Pain Awareness Month in the Golden State
August 21, 2008
For the 5th consecutive year, For Grace has sponsored a resolution proclaiming September as Pain Awareness Month in the Golden State. This year we worked with Senator Carole Migden (D-3rd District) who authored and introduced the resolution, SR 33, for us yesterday.
-
OPIOID AVAILABILITY ON-LINE COURSE ANNOUNCED
Aug 12, 2008
The Pain & Policy Studies Group is pleased to announce our new on-line course
Increasing Patient Access to Pain Medicines around the World:
A Framework to Improve National Policies that Govern Drug Distribution
-
Consumers' Guide: Practice Guidelines for Low Back Pain
2/06/2008
Today doctors rely on the current research to determine sound therapies for individual patients. Doctors make the best decisions when they are based on the best evidence and tailored according to individual patient factors, patient preferences, and other considerations such as the availability of therapies and costs. This is called Evidence Based Medicine or EBM. EBM provides a balanced way to explore the best treatment for a patient by looking at all the factors that can provide relief. To read the guideliens, click below.
-
Rheumatoid Arthritis Medicines: A Guide for Adults
June 2008
This guide can help you work with your doctor or nurse to find a medicine for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is a lifelong condition. RA causes inflammation (swelling, redness, and pain) that can damage the joints. No treatment can cure RA. But the drugs in this guide can slow down the disease and help you feel better.
-
Relieving Pain With Abuse-Resistant Drugs
2/27/2008
CBS) For many Americans, drug abuse is a painful fact of life. And pain is often the cause. By one estimate, more than 33 million Americans have abused prescription pain killers. For the second part of the series, Easing the Pain, CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook examines new prescription pain killers that are designed to prevent abuse.
-
On behalf of the ACPA, this letter about access to care for Fibromyalgia was recently sent to Coventry Health Care
2/18/2008
People with fibromyalgia often live from minute to minute because the pain is so intense they cannot function. It seems inconceivable that in today’s world of rising medical cost that treatment that could very well reduce reliance on the medical system, would be delayed while individual suffering increases.
-
Policy Evaluation Resources for the Practitioner
1/2/08
Policy Evaluation Resources for the Practitioner
An article, titled “Improving state pain policies: Recent progress and continuing opportunities,” was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. This article presents recent results from the PPSG’s national policy evaluation project, and describes how practitioners can use each state’s findings to inform and guide state-level efforts to improve policies affecting appropriate pain management and patient care. The article is available at http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/reprint/57/6/341.
-
Patients with Chronic Pain in the Emergency Department: Short-Term Satisfaction, Long-Term Room for Improvement in the Health Care System
11/30/2007
A recent survey conducted by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) and the American Chronic Pain Association (ACPA) reveals that while most people with chronic pain who come to the emergency department are satisfied with the care they receive, gaps remain in the larger health care system for this group of patients.
-
PainBalance
October 2007
PainBalance™ is a comprehensive educational initiative designed to provide quality education, practical tools and current information and resources to support appropriate care for all patients with pain and the clinicians who care for them.
-
Better Information for You
August 2007
Over the past few years, academics and policy makers are increasingly focused on developing better information for clinical decision-making, ensuring the translation of research to a variety of audiences, including patient, and considering changes to the d
-
Osteoporosis Consumer Guide PDF
February 2007
-
Tool Kit for Older Adults
On September 12, on the occasion of the Global Day Against Pain in Older Persons, an initiative of the International Association for the Study of Pain. Partners have developed a tool kit to for older adults, caregivers and health care providers. Click on the PDF to view the kit.
-
Grass Roots Action Kit
Supporting the Pain Care Policy Act (House Bill 1020) at the grassroots level. For more information, click on the PDF file. Your voice counts!
-
September is Pain Awareness month in California
For Grace, for the third consecutive year, has authored a resolution (SR 34) with the sponsorship of State Senator Liz Figueroa proclaiming September as Pain Awareness Month in California. September, due to the efforts of Partners for Understanding Pain, has now been recognized . nationwide as the month to acknowledge pain as a major health issue in the country.
-
Pain Care Policy Act of 2005
A tool kit to help you support HR 1020, the Pain Care Policy Act of 2005.
-
Proclamations Tool Kit
The goal is to obtain a Governor’s Proclamation declaring September 2005 as Pain Awareness Month.
-
A Consumer Guide to Options for Managing Chronic Pain
May 5, 2005
Pain is in the news and not always in ways the 50 million Americans living with pain might hope. Two COX-2 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medications have been withdrawn from the market and the FDA has mandated more stringent warnings on all NSAIDS. For many people with pain, the medications now under fire make the difference between productivity and disability. But many also worry about the risks.
The American Chronic Pain Association, the National Pain Foundation, and the American Pain Foundation have created A CONSUMER GUIDE TO OPTIONS FOR MANAGING CHRONIC PAIN. The guide answers key questions about recent developments and offers support for people with pain and the challenges they face.
-
On-line advocacy center
September 2005
The American Pain Foundation has launched an on-line advocacy center
-
Neuropathic Pain Impacts Over 15 Million People in Europe and the U.S. Alone
October 2004
-
How to Make the Most of Your Visit
January 2005
-
Current Issues in Pain Management for the Primary Care Practitioner
Tufts University’s "Current Issues in Pain Management for the Primary Care Practitioner."
-
Partners for Understanding Pain Electronic Press Kit
-
TX Resolution
-
Too Many Trips to the Emergency Room
May 2006
People with pain often have more experience with the emergency department than they would like. And that experience is not always good.
The ACPA conducted an on-line survey about this experience and presented a poster of findings at the recent APS meeting. Here is a story about the finding from UPI.
-
Pain Awareness is Important to Nurses
Pain awareness is important to nurses. Click here to download materials for the toolkit.
-
Acupunture - The Patient Education Forum
-
Arthritis Pain - The Patient Education Forum
-
Daily Pain Diary - AGS
-
Dementia and Pain Assessment - AGS
-
Diabetic Neuropathy - AGS
-
End of Life Care - The Patient Educatin Forum
-
Life Care Planning - CCMNY
-
My Drug and Supplement Diary - AGS
-
Taking Meds pamphlet from APhA
-
Conversations Before the Crisis - CCMNY
-
Pick-A-Proxy - CCMNY
-
Sweeping Veterans Mental Health Bill Now Law
October 27 2008
SWEEPING VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH BILL NOW LAW
Akaka’s legislation was inspired by first-hand accounts from veterans and their families.
