by Samantha M. Adcock

The Department of Health and Human Services has invited input from a broad range of individuals and organizations that have interests in advancing the fundamental understanding of pain and improving pain-related treatment strategies.

Whatever our role and interest in the Pain Management system is, be it caregiver, patient, health care provider, etc. it’s critical that we ALL participate in this endeavor by reading the National Pain Strategy Draft and submitting our comments by May 20^th, 2015.

The Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (IPRCC) was charged by (HHS) to develop “a comprehensive population level health strategy for pain prevention, treatment, management, education, reimbursement, and research that includes specific goals, actions, timeframes, and resources” as recommended in the IOM Report on Relieving Pain in America.

This is OUR opportunity to be heard and let our opinions be known.  Don’t let it pass you by!  Direct links to copies of the Public Comment Notice & the National Pain Strategy Draft have been included below for your convenience.

Federal Register Notice for Public Comment:

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/04/02/2015-07626/draft-national-pain-strategy

Link to National Pain Strategy Draft:

http://iprcc.nih.gov/docs/DraftHHSNationalPainStrategy.pdf