Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain disorder that
affects an estimated 6-10 million people in the United States,
yet half might not know they have it. In recognition of
Fibromyalgia Awareness Day, APF is launching new information,
special chats on that day, and other awareness activities, as
well as highlighting existing fibro spotlight activities and
materials.
Click here and join others across the country to raise
awareness about fibromyalgia or find out if your pain might be
caused by this disorder.
National Pain Care Policy Act, S. 660 - Video and Petition
The American Pain Foundation was recently made aware of a
video created by a 19 year old college student in Southern California,
Casey Mathews, whose mother has suffered from chronic pain for as long
as he can remember. As part of a political science class project, Casey
created a video and petition. The petition will be delivered to the U.S.
Senate to encourage support and passage of the 2009 National Pain Care
Policy Act, S. 660. Watch the video
here and then sign the petition
here.
FDA Will Require Additional Warning Labels on Over-the-Counter Pain
Relievers and Fever Reducers
APF applauds the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration final ruling issued on April 29, 2009 that
will require manufactures of over-the-counter pain relievers and
fever reducers to revise their labeling within one year to include
warnings about potential safety risks such as internal bleeding and
liver damage which can be associated with these medications. Products included in this ruling include
acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).
NSAIDS include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen and ketoprofen. Cold
medicines that contain any of these ingredients are also included in
this ruling.
Manufacturers will be required to prominently
display on the outside packaging as well as on the bottle label the
active ingredients and must warn consumers of the risks of stomach
bleeding when taking NSAIDs and severe liver damage when taking
acetaminophens. Labels on medications containing acetaminophen must
instruct the consumer to consult a doctor before taking the product if
they are taking the blood thinning drug warfarin.
Click here for more information on the FDA ruling.
URGENT ACTION NEEDED:
Help pass the National Pain Care Policy Act, S. 660 by contacting your
Senators and requesting they co-sponsor this critical pain legislation.
Please click here to
TAKE ACTION. If you are from Utah or
Connecticut, please
click here to thank Senator Hatch or Senator Dodd. To read more
about the National Pain Care Policy Act 2009, S. 660, please
click here.
Spring 2009 issue of Pain Community News
We
are delighted to bring you the Spring 2009 issue of Pain Community News.
This new issue is chock full of news you can use, including: Unraveling
fibromyalgia, Lyme Disease and chronic pain, music therapy for pain
relief, Pain & Sexuality series, Top 10 Tips for coping with arthritis,
FAQs about opioids, and much more. This issue of Pain Community News is
only available online. Please pass it along to friends, family members
and others who might be interested in reading it. Simply
click here to see the newsletter.
Insurance Barriers to Fibromyalgia Pain Care
APF is
committed to reaching out to individuals who live with pain and well
aware of barriers to effective pain care than can be attributed to
insurance companies’ policies, no matter the pain problem. Insurance
coverage can have a decisive impact on quality of care, available
providers, timeliness and more. In 2009, a national online survey was
conducted to identify whether APF members were affected by restrictive
insurance coverage policies that delay effective pain management for
fibromyalgia. Thank you to all those who responded to the survey. Please
read the summary now.