The Pain Game:  The Politics of Transforming Chronic Pain Care

At this Symposium, national experts on pain policy and treatment will address major trends and issues in the treatment of chronic pain, including the use of opioids, and what chronic pain advocates and other can do to further efforts to reform chronic pain care in America.

Goal

To honor Joan Berkley’s insatiable intellectual curiosity and interest in bioethics, including the transformation of chronic pain care.

Symposium Objectives

• To provide a value add to those who support the Center via its annual dinner
• To demonstrate to our constituents the Center’s capacity to convene national thought leaders and policy makers to discuss critical ethical issues – in this case a “cultural transformation in the way pain is perceived, judged and treated”
• To demonstrate civil ethical discourse on complex issues impacting our society

Program Objectives

• Participants will be made aware of recommendations made in IOM and NPS Reports
• Pain policy experts will provide perspective and data about political aspects of chronic pain management
• Attendees will understand the relationship between opioid therapy for the treatment of chronic pain and addiction

Format

There will be a mixed format.  Presenters will be invited to speak for 20 minutes.  There will be TED Talk-like presentations, co-presentations, and interactive presentation; Q&A will follow each presentation.  (Each module will be @ 1 hour.)

Moderator

Myra Christopher will moderate.  Rather than formal introductions, a bio-sketch will be provided for each speaker, and each person will be briefly introduced as they take the podium.  Myra will assist as necessary with Q&A.

Agenda

8:30 – Welcome – Marc Hahn, DO, President, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences

8:45 – Tribute to Joan Berkley – Chronic Pain: An Overview – Myra Christopher, Center for Practical Bioethics

9:00 – The Politics of Pain – Keith Wailoo, PhD, Princeton University

10:00 – The Impact of Politics on Clinical Care – Kathleen M. Foley, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

11:00 – The Need for Fact-Based Pain Policy at the State and National Levels – Bob Twillman, PhD, American Academy of Pain Management and Katie Horton, RN, MPH, JD, George Washington University

12:00 – Lunch

12:45 – Perspective of People Living with Chronic Pain – Janice Schuster, et al.

1:30 – Impact of Pain Politics on Underserved Populations – Richard Payne, MD, Center for Practical Bioethics and Melissa Robinson, Black Health Care Coalition

2:15 – Changing the Way Pain is Perceived, Judged and Treated – Lynn Webster, MD

3:15 – Wrap Up – John Carney, MEd, Center for Practical Bioethics and Bruce Dubin, DO, JD, Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences

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