“Pain Matters” Encourages Dialogue on Rx Abuse

June 30, 2015

by Amanda Conschafter, blog editor

Talking about prescription opioid abuse can be difficult—especially if you’re one of the millions of Americans living with a legitimate medical need for prescription pain medication. So a new initiative called “Pain Matters” aims to make such conversations a little easier. Its website, PainMatters.com, provides education and resources for health care providers, patients and their families.

For people who want to better understand how pain affects the lives of some Americans, PainMatters.com offers a variety of video resources. Visitors to the website can access a Discovery Channel documentary, also entitled “Pain Matters,” as well as video shorts telling the stories of people living with pain.   Another video explores abuse-deterrent technology, which new research suggests may play a role in reducing opioid overdose incidents.

The site also includes several hands-on materials designed for both medical professionals and people affected by pain. For health care providers, the site offers information on prescription drug monitoring programs and risk evaluation and mitigation strategies. For those affected by pain, the site provides information on comprehensive pain management and appropriate storage and use of pain medications.

Created by Teva Pharmaceuticals, the “Pain Matters” initiative stems from a survey conducted in cooperation with the U.S. Pain Foundation and the American Academy of Pain Management. The survey revealed that Americans living with pain and appropriately using prescription pain medications recognized the importance of talking about prescription drug abuse – but didn’t feel equipped to do so.

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