U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NIH News
Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) <https://prevention.nih.gov/>
For Immediate Release: Tuesday, January 13, 2015
MEDIA ADVISORY
CONTACT: Deborah Langer, 301-443-4569, <e-mail:langerdh@xxxxxxxxxx>
INDEPENDENT PANEL TO PRESENT FINDINGS ON THE ROLE OF OPIOIDS IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC PAIN
WHAT:
A press telebriefing will be held by an impartial, independent panel to discuss their findings and recommendations on the role of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain: <http://www.nih.gov/news/health/jan2015/odp-12.htm>.
WHEN & WHERE:
-- Friday, January 16, 2015 at 3 p.m. ET
-- Available via telephone conference call only
-- Dial in information: 888-428-7458 (toll free for United States and Canada) or 862-255-5398 (toll for other international callers)
Please call in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start of the press telebriefing. Media will be asked for name and outlet. Interested parties who are not affiliated with a media outlet may listen in, but will not be permitted to ask questions during the call.
WHO:
Panel members from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pathways to Prevention workshop will be answering questions from the press: <https://prevention.nih.gov/programs-events/pathways-to-prevention/workshops/opioids-chronic-pain/panel-members>.
WHY:
Chronic pain is a major public health problem, which is estimated to affect more than 100 million people in the United States. Chronic pain is often treated with prescription opioids, but there is widespread concern with this practice. Although some patients benefit from such treatment, there are no long-term studies on the effectiveness of opioids related to pain, function, or quality of life. There is insufficient data on the long-term safety of opioid use, but there are well-documented potential adverse outcomes, including substantial side effects (e.g., nausea, mental clouding, respiratory depression), physical dependence, and overdose -- with approximately 17,000 opioid-related overdose deaths reported in 2011.
With insufficient data, and often inadequate training, many clinicians prescribe too much opioid treatment when lesser amounts of opioids or non-opioids would be effective. Alternatively, some health care providers avoid prescribing opioids altogether for fear of side effects and potential addiction, causing some patients to suffer needlessly.
To better understand the role of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain, the NIH Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) convened a Pathways to Prevention workshop on September 29-30, 2014, to assess the available scientific evidence. The panel's final report, which identifies future research and clinical priorities, incorporates the panel's assessment of an evidence report, expert presentations, audience input, and public comments. The panel's report, which is an independent report and not a policy statement of the NIH or the federal government, is now available at <https://prevention.nih.gov/programs-events/pathways-to-prevention/workshops/opioids-chronic-pain/workshop-resources>.
The ODP assesses, facilitates, and stimulates research in health promotion and disease prevention in collaboration with the NIH and other public and private partners, and disseminates the results of this research to improve public health. For more information about the ODP, visit <http://prevention.nih.gov>.
About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit <www.nih.gov>.
NIH...Turning Discovery into Health -- Registered, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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