The American Pain Foundation has closed its doors due to lack of funding and a growing hostile environment towards those who suffer with chronic pain.
With deep regret and heavy hearts, we sadly inform you that due to irreparable economic circumstances, APF must cease to exist, effective immediately. On May 3, 2012, the Board of Directors formally voted to dissolve the organization.
The Board and staff have worked tirelessly over many months to address a significant gap between available financial resources and funds needed to remain operational. Unfortunately, the economic situation has not changed in any meaningful way, despite our best efforts.
APF hopes to be able to transfer content from various information, education, and support programs to other organizations so that you may continue to benefit from the value these programs have provided to thousands of individuals and families across the country.
Your personal experiences in living with pain and seeking compassion, empathy and medical care – often against the odds -- have driven our efforts over these many years. This includes enactment of key provisions of the National Pain Care Policy Act in the Health Reform Bill that led to a landmark report issued in 2011 by the Institutes of Medicine. This report documents the shocking numbers of US citizens that live with pain and calls for immediate changes to address gaps in care. Despite this, the current climate towards improving the plight of people with pain in the US continues to be precarious and hostile.
As you unfortunately know, the need for public outcry around the needs of Americans struggling with pain conditions is greater today than ever before in light of the multi-front assault occurring daily on our right to dignified care. Misguided state and federal policies are impeding access to appropriate and reasonable medical care for people struggling with pain, and deterring even the most compassionate medical providers from treating anyone with pain conditions.
It is therefore critical that each of you raise your voices singularly and together to demand the care you deserve. It is only by continuing to demand attention to the ever-worsening barriers and unacceptable suffering that change will occur.
Elected officials, policy makers, and the media need to keep hearing from each and every one of you so they are not allowed to walk away from the consequences of this over-looked public health and medical problem. Please know that although APF will cease to exist, the resolve and commitment among individuals on the Board and staff remain strong.
http://www.painfoundation.org/
Medical News Today reports:
Such findings are noteworthy as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and some states mull limits to opioid prescribing as a means to halt a rising tide of prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths. An FDA panel held a two-day public hearing in February to gather stakeholder testimony as it weighs labeling changes for opioid dosage, indication and treatment duration for noncancer pain.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/259020.php (last paragraph)
I cannot imagine how any of you will manage. I suffer from chronic pain. Most of the time it is controlled by the non-opoid meds I take. But every now and then the pain soars and nothing will touch except an opioid med. I suffered for years with intractable pain. Life was just misery waiting for the next break in the pain. My heart goes out to you if you wind up losing the meds that make your lives liveable.