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APS
E-News 25th Annual Scientific Meeting: Register Online Today! In This Issue: APS Announces 2006 Achievement Awards APS 25th Annual Scientific Meeting House Subcommittee Meeting Focuses on Chronic Pain APS Meets with NIH Pain Consortium NIAMS Small Grant Program for Investigators
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| Acknowledgment:
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| American
Pain Society |
| APS Announces 2006 Achievement Awards APS recently announced the 2006 recipients of its prestigious annual achievement awards, which will be presented in May at the annual scientific meeting in San Antonio. Every year APS rewards excellence in the field of pain management by presenting six separate awards for career achievement, pain scholarship, education and public service, advocacy on behalf of children, outstanding service to APS, and early career achievements. "APS sponsors these annual awards to publicly recognize outstanding efforts in improving understanding of pain management among healthcare professionals and the general public," said APS President Dennis Turk, PhD. "We salute these individuals and their important contributions toward alleviating suffering of people with chronic and acute pain."
His current clinical and research interests focus on how pain and nonspecific physical symptoms and clinical signs are related to the emotional and behavioral status of pain patients and the role that biobehaviorally-based treatments may play in chronic pain management.
APS 25th Annual Scientific Meeting Register online today!
Yes, you can read journals to learn about the newest scientific insights, discoveries, innovations, and clinical outcomes. But there is lag time between the completion of a study and the publication date. By attending the meeting, you will be on the cutting edge of new developments. Live presentations and discussions create excitement that cannot be expressed in print. It is like attending a live concert rather than listening to a CD or going to a sports event rather than watching it on TV. Don't think, "Oh, no not another meeting." Think "WOW, what an opportunity—I have to find a way to attend." I look
forward to seeing you there! Featured
Speakers
Four-Hour
Forums Evaluation
of Fibromyalgia Pain: From Bench to Bedside Spinal
Cord Stimulation: New Horizons for Chronic Pain Management All of this is packed into 4 days in the exciting city of San Antonio. San Antonio is a rich and lively blend of culture, fun, and flavor—colorful and slightly spicy! Register today!
House Subcommittee Hearing Focuses On Chronic Pain At last, there is meaningful activity on Capitol Hill to move HR 1020, The National Pain Care Policy Act of 2005, through the legislative process. On December 8, the Subcommittee on Health of the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a hearing focused on research issues in both chronic pain and pulmonary hypertension. According to Robert Saner, legislative counsel for the Pain Care Coaltion (PCC), although most of the questions from subcommittee members dealt with research, there were multiple opportunities for witnesses to advocate passage of HR 1020. "My take on the hearing is that it was a very positive step forward in our collective efforts to secure passage of HR 1020," said Saner. "While we were disappointed that it was narrower in scope than originally hoped, and called hastily at the end of the session, it came off very well. Chairman Nathan Deal (R-GA) stayed for the whole 2 hours and appeared genuinely engaged in the topics. Given the last minute calling of this hearing, it was well attended by other members, many of whom also stayed, questioned witnesses, and appeared engaged," Saner said. The PCC's witness was its chairman, Joel Saper, MD, Director, Michigan Head Pain and Neurological Institute. "The total cost of pain to the healthcare system and the broader economy cannot be currently calculated but is larger than any other health condition," he told the subcommittee. Saper added that despite the widespread prevalence of chronic pain, a study published in the May issue of The Journal of Pain shows just 1% of NIH research grants are devoted to studies with a primary focus on pain. "It is discouraging to report that, halfway through the Congressionally declared Decade of Pain Control and Research, that research commitment is woefully inadequate and hardly proportional to the burden pain imposes on the population." "Often, what happens after a hearing like this is just as important as what members hear during the hearing itself," said Saner. He noted that APS and other organizations and individuals have sent in their own statements for the record. "Even if a statement didn't arrive in time for the official record of the hearing, distribution to committee offices and your own representatives gives multiple ‘hits' and extends the impact of the hearing," said Saner. "And of course, all communications to individual members should urge co-sponsorship of HR 1020 unless the member has already signed on." The official APS statement for the record follows: "For too long, effective pain care has been overlooked as a national public health priority. The American Pain Society (APS), therefore, strongly urges Congress to pass HR 1020, the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2005." This is the Decade of Pain Control and Research, and the enactment of HR 1020 will stand as its most significant achievement. This comprehensive measure reflects many years of effort by the pain care community to introduce federal legislation to expand and improve pain research and extend access to quality pain care to every American who needs it. As you know, APS is a multidisciplinary organization of basic and clinical scientists, practicing clinicians, policy analysts, and others who research and treat pain and advocate for patients with pain. Our organization's mission is to advance pain-related research, education, treatment, and professional practice. Accordingly, APS enthusiastically supports provisions of HR 1020 to authorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish regional pain centers, improve pain-care training, expand pain research, and improve access to pain treatment. Pain is an invisible yet stigmatizing malady in our society, and one in five Americans endure some type of chronic pain. Pain also takes a staggering toll on the American economy—more than other chronic conditions, such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. NIH has estimated that pain costs more than $100 billion a year in medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced productivity. APS believes passage of HR 1020 will be a major step forward in helping the nation's healthcare providers combat America's leading public health problem—untreated and undertreated pain. We urge members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health to recommend HR 1020 for full committee approval and rapid passage in the House and Senate.
APS Meets with NIH Pain Consortium On December 16, 2005, six APS representatives (Dennis Turk, Judy Paice, Ron Dubner, Dick Chapman, Lonnie Zeltzer, and Cathy Underwood) met with the three co-chairs of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pain Consortium. The meeting included discussion of the NIH funding study, which was supported by an APS grant and recently published in The Journal of Pain. In addition, APS initiated a dialogue with the Consortium and these particular directors (Patricia Grady, National Institute of Nursing Research; Story Landis, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke; and Lawrence Tabak, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research). During the 2-hour meeting, ways to enhance communication and solidify the partnership between the intramural and extramural pain research communities were discussed. All participants agreed that this "first annual" meeting was very productive and just the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship.
NIAMS Small Grant Program for New Investigators The
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
(NIAMS) is seeking small grant (R03) applications to stimulate and
facilitate the entry of promising new investigators into research
on arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases and injuries.
This solicitation will provide support for pilot research that is
likely to lead to a subsequent individual research project grant
(R01).
NASS 2006 Research Grant and Fellowship Awards Available The North American Spine Society (NASS) is a leading multidisciplinary organization representing caregivers and research scientists in the field of spinal disorders. Part of the NASS mission is to encourage and support basic and clinical science performed with integrity and a goal toward improving quality spine care for patients along with understanding underlying disorders. If you are interested in applying for a research grant or fellowship award, contact NASS at 877/ 774-6337 or online at www.spine.org/Research/ResearchProgram.cfm. Applications are due May 5, 2006.
In light of recent natural disasters and special hardships that we all face from time to time, the APS Board of Directors has decided to institute a hardship case policy giving them the authority to waive membership dues for a period of up to 12 months for any member facing special financial hardship. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis and may be granted on the basis of illness, natural disaster, active military service, or other acceptable reasons deemed appropriate by the APS leadership. Members requesting this special assistance should notify the APS national office in writing. Cases will then be submitted to the board or executive committee for action at the next available conference call or meeting. A judgment letter by the president will be issued within 7 days of the decision. In the event of an unfavorable ruling, the member will have until his/her membership anniversary date to pay the outstanding dues amount before membership is deactivated. If you need to file for a hardship case, please contact APS at 847/375-4715 or info@ampainsoc.org.
Medicare Physician Payment Cut On January 1, the 2006 Medicare physician payment cut begins, and physician organizations, including the American Medical Association (AMA), are concerned that this will harm seniors' access to physician care. There is bipartisan agreement in both the U.S. House and Senate that this cut must be stopped to preserve seniors' access to care, and both the House and Senate have passed legislation to stop the cut. Procedural issues in the Senate and House prevented final action on this critical access to care issue for Medicare patients. The AMA, which is deeply concerned about this issue, will continue to strenuously advocate for a fair physician payment formula based on practice costs, as well as continue to advocate for sound quality improvement initiatives.
APS Young Investigator Travel Support Information For the 2006 meeting, APS will offer funding for up to 50 Young Investigators. Funding awards are $750 each and are available to individuals presenting paper or poster abstracts at the meeting, May 3–6, 2006, in San Antonio. Applicants may be from any research training background (basic or clinical science, psychology, medicine, or biostatistics) and may be at any level in training, including students, residents, predoctoral trainees, postdoctoral fellows, or those who have completed their postdoctoral training within the last 3 years. All applicants must be members of APS. To apply for funding, complete the Young Investigator Travel Stipend Application. Applications must be completed online by February 13, 2006. If you have difficulty completing the application, contact Jennifer Reinard at jreinard@amctec.com or 847/375-4833. Applications will be reviewed by the APS Scientific Program Planning Committee and stipends will be awarded by March 10, 2006. Notifications will be sent to all applicants after March 10. All eligible young investigators will receive their travel grants at the Annual Meeting. The APS travel stipend program is made possible through grants from the National Institutes of Health and Pfizer, Inc., as well as an allocation of operating funds from the American Pain Society. |
The
Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award
recognizes career achievement in clinical research on pain and will
be awarded to Samuel F. Dworkin, DDS PhD, professor emeritus, University
of Washington School of Medicine/Dentistry, Seattle. Dworkin is
a pioneer in research on chronic orofacial pain, and he headed the
first major epidemiological study on temporomandibular disorder
(TMD) pain in the United States. 
The
Frederick W.L. Kerr Basic Science Research Award
honors individual excellence and achievements in clinical pain scholarship
and will be awarded to David Julius, PhD, University of California
San Francisco, for his research achievements in the molecular biology
of nociception and pain. His contributions have increased understanding
of the molecular basis of anxiety, obesity, and pain and temperature
sensation. Julius' major contributions have been in the area of
neurotransmitter receptor function and sensory transduction.
The
John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award pays
tribute to this couple for their leadership in the pain-treatment
movement. It recognizes contributions by an individual or organization
through public education, public service, or other vehicles to communicate
information about pain. The 2006 awardee is Oklahoma Attorney General
W.A. Drew Edmondson, JD. During his term as president of the National
Association of Attorneys General, Edmondson initiated a series of
listening conferences to educate attorneys general throughout the
country about end-of-life care issues. The impact of his actions
has been increased awareness about end-of-life issues, effective
pain management, and advanced directives nationwide. 
In
recognition of the longstanding APS interest in promoting improved
pain management in pediatric health care settings, the Jeffrey
Lawson Award recognizes advocacy efforts to improve pain
management in children. This year's recipient is Bonnie J. Stevens,
PhD RN, chair, pediatric nursing research, Hospital for Sick Children,
Toronto. Stevens is most widely known for her groundbreaking research
on pain in preterm infants. She developed the Premature Infant Pain
Profile (PIPP), which is considered the most reliable and valid
pain measure in infants. Over the past decade, Dr. Stevens has developed
a nationally funded research program on pain in infants and children.
The
Elizabeth Narcessian Award recognizes outstanding
educational achievements in pain management. The award will be presented
to Christine Pasero, MS RN, a prominent pain management educator
and consultant based in El Dorado Hills, CA. Pasero has made extensive
contributions to pain education during the past decade through her
extensive lectures, publications, and media attention. She has worked
diligently to foster evidence-based practice and its use to improve
the overall standard of pain management. 
The
2005 Distinguished Service Award for outstanding
and dedicated service to APS is awarded to Debra B. Gordon, MS RN,
senior clinical nurse specialist, University of Wisconsin Medical
Center. Gordon has been an active member of the APS Board, the publications
committee, and scientific planning committee. She also led the APS
Task Force on Quality Improvement in Cancer Pain and Acute Pain
Management.
To
recognize early career achievement in pain scholarship, APS created
the John C. Liebeskind Early Career Scholar Award.
It will be awarded to Laura S. Stone, PhD, Department of Neuroscience
at the University of Minnesota. Stone has contributed numerous significant
publications that clarify the contribution of spinal alpha 2 adrenergic
receptors to chronic pain mechanisms and opioid analgesia. She has
received NIH funding to seek evidence for G protein-coupled receptor
oligomerization in vivo. 
As
APS President, I sometimes hear, "Why should I attend this year—I'm
too busy, I can't be away from my office, clinic, or lab for that
many days, and I already attend too many meetings…I can learn
about what's going on from reading journal articles." 
Decade
of Pain Lecture