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 Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, Inc.
A Voice for Private Physicians Since 1943
Omnia pro aegroto

The Politics of Pain Management:

Public Policy & Patient Access to Effective Pain Treatments

Tuesday, December 16, 2003
B-338 Rayburn House Office Building
12 Noon – 1:30 pm

Download Documents from Briefing

featuring:

Ronald T. Libby, PhD.
Professor, University of North Florida
DEA investigation initiatives & funding sources
[email protected] (904) 808-4612

Rev. Ronald Myers, Sr., M.D.
Founder, President, American Pain Institute
Effects on African-American community
www.AmericanPainInstitute.org (662) 392-2016

James Martin
President, 60 Plus Association
Seniors’ & end-of-life concerns
www.60plus.org (703) 807-2070

Julie Stewart
Families against Mandatory Minimums
[email protected] (202) 822-6700

        William Hurwitz, M.D.
Indicted pain management specialist-McLean, VA
“Deserving” vs. “undeserving” patients?
www.drhurwitz.com [email protected]

Jane M. Orient, M.D.
Clinical lecturer, University of AZ
Executive Director, AAPS
Opioid-phobia & physician reluctance to treat patients
(800) 635-1196 [email protected]

Siobhan Reynolds
Founder & President, Pain Relief Network
Impact on families of pain patients
www.PainReliefNetwork.org (917) 432-4294

Moderator: Kathryn Serkes
President, Square One Media Network
[email protected] (202) 333-3855

More than 48 million people in the U.S. suffer from chronic pain, according to the National Institutes of Health. Recent high-profile news cases of opioid usage have placed the issue on the front pages, including a debate over dependency vs. addiction, who is “deserving” and who is “undeserving,” of opioid treatment, and whether pain patients should be subjected to different standards of personal scrutiny than others.

The DEA claims drug diversion has reached crisis proportions, justifying increased investigative initiatives that frequently circumvent the Congressional appropriations process. Physicians are prosecuted and imprisoned, and patients sentenced based on pill counts. Medical research and treatment has made tremendous advances in pain management, but is public policy keeping up? And is law enforcement discouraging patient access to treatment as a result of prosecution of physicians under the Controlled Substances Act?

This distinguished panel will examine the current state of pain management, law enforcement initiatives, patient experiences, H.R. 3015 prescription drug database act, and solutions for cooperation between lawmakers, regulators, law enforcement and the medical community.