American Pain Society Annual Meeting

Eight corporate satellite symposia will be offered in conjunction with the APS Annual Scientific Meeting. These independently sponsored, commercially supported symposia are open to the registrants of the APS 27th Annual Scientific Meeting. The programs have been reviewed by the APS Scientific Program Committee and approved after determining the topics to be presented are relevant to the audience and complementary to the official APS program. There is no fee to attend these symposia, but preregistration is required (see below). Seating will be available at no charge to those responding on a first-come, first-served basis. Program details are subject to change. Speakers are subject to change.

Thursday, May 8

1-2:30 pm
Corporate Satellite Lunch Symposia (2)

State-of-the-Science: Abuse-Deterrent Opioid Formulations

Nathaniel P. Katz, MD MS; Lynn R. Webster, MD; Steven D. Passik, PhD
This session will summarize national data and analyze recent research and local data. Speakers will present data on types of technology under development and the available drug-specific research and discuss the benefits and limitations of these technologies. Finally, presenters will identify patient populations for whom these technologies will be most valuable by assessing the types of aberrant behavior addressed by such formulations and at the same time recognizing populations and behaviors for which they will likely be less useful.

Supported by an educational grant from Alpharma Pharmaceuticals LLC.

Traveling Pain’s Pathways: Basing Treatment Upon the Underlying Neurobiology of Pain

B. Eliot Cole, MD MPA; David M. Simpson, MD; Miles J. Belgrade, MD
Untreated pain has been shown to alter neuronal function in key parts of the brain, underscoring the importance of early, effective treatment for pain to mitigate potentially irreversible changes. Ongoing pain research has uncovered fascinating insights involving the interaction of genetics, immune system, nervous system, and skin, contributing to the experience of pain. These insights have led to significant therapeutic research involving the manipulation of these natural processes to produce new, more effective pain-reducing therapies. Recognized experts in the field of pain management will facilitate this highly interactive activity, using evidence-based presentations, results from clinical trials, and case study discussions to link advances in the current understanding about the neurobiology of pain and advances in the diagnosis and treatment of pain. Participants will also benefit from question and answer sessions. Clinicians attending this symposium will be able to appropriately prescribe novel treatments minimizing side effects by better targeting the body’s specific pain-fighting mechanisms. Pre- and post-activity surveys will be conducted to elicit changes in knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors in clinical practice.

Supported by an educational grant from Eli Lilly and Company.

Friday, May 9

6:45-8:15 am
Corporate Satellite Breakfast Symposia (2)

Optimizing Treatment Outcomes in Peripheral Neuropathic Pain

Robert H. Dworkin, PhD; Miroslav Misha Backonja, MD; Mark Steven Wallace, MD
Peripheral neuropathic pain presents a diagnostic and treatment challenge for healthcare professionals. In many cases, a patient with a preexisting condition presents with pain whose origin may be neuropathic, nociceptive, or of mixed etiology. In contrast to other sources of pain, pain of neuropathic origin derives from direct damage to the central or peripheral nervous system. An accurate diagnosis, though essential for effective treatment of neuropathic pain, is often difficult to achieve because of the subtle differences in symptom presentation associated with the different forms of pain. Further complicating matters is the wide array of treatment options for neuropathic pain, as well as treatments a patient may be receiving for the underlying cause of such pain. Optimizing outcomes for patients with neuropathic pain requires a precise understanding of diagnostic factors and the knowledge of how and when to use the various treatment options available for such patients. A review of established treatment guidelines will illustrate how a multidisciplinary approach can further improve overall treatment outcomes in patients with neuropathic pain.

Supported by an educational grant from NeurogesX, Inc.

Treatment Strategies for Patients Not Responding to Increased Doses of Opioids: An Analgesic Roadmap for Clinicians

Charles Argoff, MD; Oscar deLeon-Casasola, MD; Robert J. Gatchel, PhD ABPP
Clinicians treating chronic noncancer pain patients are often faced with the problem of inadequate response despite escalating doses of opioids. Numerous approaches have to be considered in these cases, including the possibility of an underlying neuropathic pain condition, a case of genetic variation in the mu-opioid receptor affecting the response, a possibility of misuse or diversion, a possibility of hyperalgesia, and so on. Through a discussion of possible approaches to this problem, the multidisciplinary panel in this program will provide a practical roadmap to clinicians in order to improve practice and patient outcomes. Possible causes of a lack of response to other analgesic agents will be discussed as well.

Supported by an educational grant from Endo Pharmaceuticals Inc.

12:30-2 pm
Corporate Satellite Lunch Symposia (2)

Multidrug Therapy for Chronic Pain: Scientific and Clinical Considerations

Paul J. Christo, MD; Charles E. Argoff, MD; Tony L. Yaksh, PhD; Ian Gilron, MD
This program is designed to provide a comprehensive review of the rationale and evidence base supporting the use of multidrug therapy for the treatment of patients with chronic pain. The molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms of chronic pain and their practical considerations for assessment and treatment will be discussed. Of central importance will be current and emerging strategies for developing individualized, multidrug therapeutic plans based, in part, on the etiology, psychosocial comorbidities, and temporal characteristics of the chronic pain state.

Supported by an educational grant from Cephalon, Inc.

Fibromyalgia Fundamentals for the Practitioner

Lesley M. Arnold, MD; David A. Williams, PhD
Recently, there has been substantial progress toward a better understanding of the complex pathophysiologic and genetic mechanisms underlying fibromyalgia. While the condition has gained acceptance as a heterogeneous chronic pain syndrome, treatment advances have led to the first FDA approval of any drug indicated for use in patients with fibromyalgia. Nevertheless, gaps in knowledge persist and optimal management strategies remain uncertain. This program encompasses a review of the latest evidence regarding the etiology and treatment of fibromyalgia. A combination of didactic and interactive, case-based educational methods are employed to provide clinicians with expert guidance in diagnostic strategies and treatment plans.

Supported by an educational grant from Pfizer Inc.

6:30-8:30 pm
Corporate Satellite Dinner Symposium (1)

Misuse and Abuse of Prescription Pain Medications: Profiling the Effects of Pain Medications and Minimizing Abuse, Misuse, and Diversion of Combination Opioids

Doug Gourlay, MD; Herbert Kleber, MD; James Zacny, PhD
This program is intended for those healthcare professionals involved in pain management and addiction, including physicians, nurses, psychologists, and pharmacists. The program will provide the most recent educational information regarding the effectiveness of current treatment options in pain management, focusing on the importance of quality of life factors during treatment, as well as emerging technologies that help address unmet needs in pain management. The physiological and psychological effects, as well as responsible prescribing and education around safeguarding and discarding prescription pain medication will also be addressed. The first presentation will examine best practices for minimizing and treating prescription pain medication misuse and abuse, with an emphasis on teen abuse. The second presentation will discuss profiling the physiological and psychological effects of prescription pain medications in recreational and non-drug-abusing volunteers. The final presentation will review the emerging strategies in pain management to help improve treatment outcomes in patients with acute or chronic pain. A better understanding of the current issues surrounding effective pain management is required to help provide patients who suffer from acute or chronic pain with the most beneficial treatment outcomes.

Supported by an educational grant from Abbott Laboratories.

Saturday, May 10

Noon-1:30 pm
Corporate Satellite Lunch Symposium (1)

Clinical and Pharmacologic Perspectives on Opioid Use: Evidence-Based Strategies for Risk Assessment and Attenuation

Paul Christo, MD MBA; Robert N. Jamison, PhD; Barry Eliot Cole, MD MPA; Steven Passik, PhD
This symposium will present current perspectives on pharmacologic and patient behavioral factors contributing to the risk of opioid abuse, misuse, and diversion. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics that may contribute to the potential for abuse and misuse of various opioid formulations will be discussed, as will the psychological factors that put patients at increased risk. Moreover, methods for assessing individual patient risk as well as behavioral and pharmacologic strategies for reducing these risks in clinical practice will be reviewed.

Supported by an educational grant from King Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Tampa, FL, May 8-10, 2008