“National Pain Policy: Tackling Barriers to Proper Pain Management

[Guest guest]

The American Pain Foundation, The American Cancer Society and the

Pain Care Forum in cooperation with Representative Lois Capps (D-CA-

23) and Representative Mike (R-MI-8) and are pleased to

announce:

A Congressional Briefing:

" National Pain Policy: Tackling Barriers to Proper Pain Management "

Thursday, November 8, 2007

Noon to 1:30 pm, Rayburn House Office Building, Rm. 2218

Located at Independence Avenue and S. Capitol St., SW

The purpose of the briefing is to educate Congress on the serious

need for federal policy reform affecting pain management.

This briefing provides an immediate action opportunity to spread the

word and urge everyone concerned about pain care in America, to fax

or email their Representatives to encourage their attendance at this

briefing!

It is critical to generate large Congressional attendance, in order

to:

Increase their awareness that pain is a major public health problem

and there is a critical need to improve access to appropriate pain

care.

Emphasize the serious need to increase pain management training for

healthcare professionals as well as public education.

Call for support in creating a national agenda for pain research.

Increase co-sponsorship of the National Pain Care Policy Act of

2007, H.R.2994!

TAKE ACTION NOW!

It is quick and easy, but can make a big difference!

Our system will send a fax or e-mail for you!

Contact your Congressional representatives and encourage them to

attend and/or send a representative to this important briefing.

Please share this with groups or organizations that you are a part

of and urge their members to contact their representative about this

briefing. You can direct them to http://www.painfoundation.org/ and

click on Take Action Now!

Forward this message to anyone you believe is concerned about

improving pain care in America.

It is vitally important to impress upon our elected officials that

they can make a difference in the lives of millions of their

constituents who are currently suffering unnecessarily.

BRIEFING PRESENTERS INCLUDE:

Fishman, M.D., is a leading pain medicine clinician,

researcher, teacher, lecturer and writer. He is Chief of the

Division of Pain Medicine and Professor of Anesthesiology at the

University of California, , and Board certified in Psychiatry,

Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, Hospital and Palliative Medicine, and

Pain Medicine.

Carmen R. Green, M.D., is Associate Professor of Anesthesiology at

the University Of Michigan Medical School as well as an attending

physician at the Center for Interventional Pain Medicine, Director

for Pain Research, founding Chair of the University of Michigan

Health System (UMHS) Pain Management Steering Committee, and former

Medical Director for the Acute Pain Service at UMHS. Her research

examines the effects of sociodemographic factors on pain management

and health outcomes as well as clinician variability in pain

management decision-making and the quality of pain care.

Vargas, J.D., is a lawyer, pain patient, and active advocate on

behalf of others in pain. Following a debilitating auto accident at

the age of 23, faced many barriers to getting proper treatment

of her pain. She now advocates on behalf of pain patients and their

families through the American Pain Foundation and the land Pain

Initiative and speaks frequently on disparities in the treatment of

pain.

FOR MORE INFORMATION about this briefing and the National Pain Care

Policy Act, go to http://www.painfoundation.org/ and click on Take

Action Now.

Write your Congressional Representative so they can learn about the

tragic personal and economic effects of the undertreatment of pain!

There is strength in numbers!

Thank you for being part of this effort to Unite Voices of Hope and

Power Over Pain.