-- International Adhesions Society (IAS) Research Study on Opioid Use in Chronic PainFDA is considering reducing your access to pain relieving drugs!
Make your voice heard and influence FDA policy on pain relief by completing this survey conducted by the International Adhesions Society and proudly supported by KevMed, LLC.
Opioids (narcotic drugs related to morphine - hydrocodone, oxycodone, heroin, tramadol, etc.) contribute to about 75% of all deaths due to prescription drugs, in turn accounting for 58% of all drug-related deaths. Although US opioid sales are estimated to be $9 billion, societal costs of opioid abuse, misuse, addiction and overdose are estimated at $56 billion. Concerned about these statistics, FDA is inviting comment about proposals to limit the types of pain, doses and length of treatment for which opioids are approved. The proposals, if implemented could limit legitimate access to opioids by patients with chronic pain.
Arguments on both sides have been submitted, but ACTUAL data (as opposed to speculation) supporting either position are sparse. ACTUAL data makes a difference to policy makers and so we are conducting this survey to provide FDA with ACTUAL data on opioid use in patients with chronic pain, especially pelvic & abdominal pain due to adhesions, ARD, CAPPS, interstitial cystitis, IBS, pudendal neuralgia, endometriosis, and hysterectomy complications. Patients with other types of chronic pain are most welcome to participate in this important effort. Due to submission deadlines this survey will run only for a short period.
In addition to asking about your pain and use of analgesics, the survey will solicit your opinion on a draft statement that we intend to submit to FDA. The statement will outline our results and recommendations for a comprehensive drug policy that is able to reduce abuse and misuse while still allowing chronic pain patients to obtain effective relief from opioids, and more importantly, facilitate access to safer and effective alternatives.
Given the high public profile of this topic, our statement will provide a platform for us to raise awareness about adhesions, endometriosis, IC, IBS, CPP and related conditions. It will showcase the achievements of the IAS made possible by your participation in our work, including, relevant to this subject, our research on PainShieldR MD, a portable, wearable, therapeutic ultrasound device that provides novel and effective treatment for pain. PainShield MD requires no surgery or drugs and may allow patients to reduce or avoid opioids as well as surgical procedures such as hysterectomy or adhesiolysis.
No one wants to take any drugs, much less opioids which play havoc on bowel function, but until there is widespread use of alternatives such as PainShield MD we must ensure access of chronic pain patients to opioids. We certainly want to see safer prescribing habits, but we do not believe the current FDA proposals will accomplish that. Our statement will also encourage comprehensive polices on pain itself, the prevention of its root causes (which includes adhesions) and the streamlining of the approval for marketing and reimbursement of new pain-relieving products.
Here is a link to the survey: please copy and paste the following link into a new browser window.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/OpioidsChronicPainFDA
To participate in this survey you will need to be at least 18 years of age, to live in the USA and currently suffer from ANY type of chronic pain that is NOT related to cancer.
If you do not meet these criteria, we thank you for your interest and look forward to including your thoughts on future surveys.
Whether or not you participate, we thank you for your support of the International Adhesions Society. Please visit our web site - http://www.adhesions.org, "Like" us on facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Adhesions-Society/241277660972) and follow us on Twitter (AdhesionsOrg).
Please also check out and tell your friends about PainShield MD, which we have found to reduce painful bowel, bladder, genital, musculoskeletal and other symptoms associated with ARD, adhesions, CAPPS, endometriosis, IC and IBS. PainShieldMD is being sold through KevMed - http://www.kevmed.com - a company we set up as a result of IAS research and whose profits we hope eventually will fund the IAS as well as further advances in the alleviation of suffering by not only adhesions patients, but all patients suffering with chronic pain.
To help you take charge of your pain we have designed a free Pain Diary that will help you track your condition and effectively communicate with your doctor leaving more time to plan and implement effective treatment. You can download this from: http://www.kevmed.com/paindairy.html
This is important. On behalf of all pain sufferers, we must make our voice heard.
Sincerely, David Wiseman PhD, MRPharmS Founder International Adhesions Society (President KevMed. LLC)