John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award
Ada Rogers, RN
In 1944, Ada Rogers, RN, joined the United States Cadet Nurse Corps and received her nursing diploma in 1947 from New Rochelle Hospital School of Nursing and at the same time was awarded the Roy E. Tilles Scholarship. Her many honors and awards include the Ned O. Frank Philanthropic League Woman of the Year Award in 1983 and the John J. Bonica Award of the Eastern Pain Association in 1990. Affectionately known as "the Pain Lady," Ms. Rogers has spent most of her 45-year professional career in analgesic research and pain management at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

[more]

At the present time, Ms. Rogers is on the Board of Directors of the Eastern Pain Association and is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, International Narcotics Research Conference, Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the International Association for the Study of Pain.

The John and Emma Bonica Public Service Award honors outstanding contributions by an individual or an organization to the field of pain through public education, dissemination of information, public service, or other efforts to further knowledge about pain. The award is named for John Bonica, a leading force in the development of the pain treatment movement, and his wife, Emma.

Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award
Roger Fillingim, PhD
Roger Fillingim, PhD, is a professor at the University of Florida College of Dentistry and a staff psychologist at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. Dr. Fillingim maintains an active research program investigating individual differences in pain and analgesia. He has received numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health, has published more than 100 scientific articles and book chapters, and has edited and authored books about pain.

Dr. Fillingim has a long history of mentoring graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and junior faculty members. He has served on multiple NIH review panels and serves on the editorial boards of four different journals.

The Wilbert E. Fordyce Clinical Investigator Award was established in 1995 to recognize and honor career achievement in clinical research on pain. The award is named for Wilbert E. Fordyce, PhD, the first recipient of this honor.

Frederick W. L. Kerr Basic Science Research Award
Joyce A. DeLeo, PhD
Joyce DeLeo, PhD, received her bachelor of science in biology and chemistry from the State University of New York at Albany and her PhD in 1988 from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. She accepted a postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University in the department of neuroscience, where she studied the effects of neonatal hypoxia and seizure susceptibility. She then moved to Dartmouth as a postdoctoral fellow in the Anesthesia Research Laboratory.

Currently Dr. DeLeo is the Irene Heinz Given Professor of Pharmacology and Anesthesiology and chair of the department of pharmacology and toxicology at Dartmouth. Dr. DeLeo has been instrumental in developing and directing the Neuroscience Center at Dartmouth, an interdisciplinary group whose mission is to foster collaborative and interactive research and education in the neurosciences. She is codirector of a Translational Neuroscience Postdoctoral Training Program (NINDS T32) and was actively involved in the development of the recently established interdisciplinary graduate program, the Program in Experimental and Molecular Medicine (PEMM).

This award was established in 1987 in honor of Frederick W. L. Kerr, a founder of the American Pain Society, to recognize individual excellence and achievement in pain scholarship. Since then, the Kerr medallion has been presented to 22 outstanding pain professionals—researchers and clinicians—whose career achievements have made important contributions to the field of pain.

Jeffrey Lawson Award for Advocacy in Children's Pain Relief
Patrick J. McGrath, PhD
Patrick McGrath, PhD, is Vice President-Research at the IWK Health Centre and professor of psychology, pediatrics, and psychiatry at Dalhousie University. He is a leading clinical and health services researcher on pediatric pain and on distance treatment to increase access to psychosocial health care. His research has been recognized by appointment to the Order of Canada and election to the Royal Society of Canada and the Academy of Health Sciences of Canada.

Dr. McGrath has just begun his second term on the Governing Council of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). He is the principal investigator of the CIHR Strategic Training Program on Pain in Child Health and a CIHR Team Grant in Access to Child Mental Health Care.

The Jeffrey Lawson Award was established in 1996 in memory of Jeffrey Lawson, whose mother, Jill, brought to the attention of professional organizations the practice of performing surgery and other procedures on children without the benefit of analgesia. The award recognizes advocacy efforts to improve management of pain in children.

John C. Liebeskind Early Career Scholar Award
Steven George, PhD PT
Steven Z. George, PhD PT, received his bachelor's degree in physical therapy from West Virginia University (summa cum laude) in 1994. He received a master's degree in orthopedic physical therapy and a doctoral degree in rehabilitation science from the University of Pittsburgh in 1997 and 2002, respectively. Dr. George completed a post-doctoral fellowship in the Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health at the University of Florida, under the mentorship of Michael E. Robinson in 2004. After that, he joined the faculty at the University of Florida as an assistant professor in the department of physical therapy.

Dr. George's primary research interests involve the utilization of biopsychosocial models for the prevention and treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain disorders. His current research projects include: (a) developing and testing behavioral interventions for patients with low back pain; b) investigating the interaction between pain related genetic and psychological factors in the development of post-operative chronic shoulder pain; (c) investigating the mechanisms and efficacy of manual therapy techniques; and (d) developing and testing low back pain prevention programs for soldiers in the United States Army.

The John C. Liebeskind Early Career Scholar Award was named in 1998 to honor the memory of John C. Liebeskind, PhD, an APS past president who was a noted pain researcher, scientist, and teacher. The Early Career Scholar Award recognizes early career achievements that have made outstanding contributions to pain scholarship.

Elizabeth Narcessian Award for Outstanding Educational Achievements
Carmen Green, MD
Carmen R. Green, MD, received a bachelor of science in biology from the University of Michigan and received an MD from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. After completing an internship in internal medicine, Dr. Green completed a residency in anesthesiology, subspecialty training in ambulatory and obstetrical anesthesiology, and a fellowship in pain medicine at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Green is an associate professor in anesthesiology and is also a faculty associate at the Institute of Social Research in the Program for Research on Black Americans. She is an attending physician in the Multidisciplinary Pain Center, as well as Director Pain Medicine Research, and Director Health Disparities Research Program for the Michigan Institute for Clinical and Health Research. Dr. Green is also principal investigator for the Michigan Pain Outcomes Study Team and associate director for the Dissemination and Health Policy Core for the Michigan Center for Urban African American Aging Research.

Dr. Green's health services research agenda focuses on pain management outcomes, physician decision-making, and access care. She has spoken widely on disparities, structural barriers to health care, physician variability in pain management decision-making, and health policy.

The Elizabeth Narcessian Award was named in memory of Elizabeth Narcessian, MD, a noted educator on the appropriate use of opioids, patient assessment, and approaches to rehabilitation of patients devastated by chronic pain. The award recognizes outstanding contributions highlighting dedication or innovation in education in the field of pain.

Distinguished Service Award
Sandra Ward, PhD RN FAAN
Sandra E. Ward, PhD RN FAAN, is Helen Denne Schulte Professor of Nursing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Nursing. Dr. Ward's research, teaching, and service are in the broad area of psychosocial oncology with a focus on patient-centered interventions that address the concerns of persons with cancer.

During the past 20 years Dr. Ward has studied patient-related barriers to pain management and developed and tested interventions to overcome those barriers and thereby improve pain management. Her teaching activities have included developing and teaching courses on knowledge development in nursing, patient-centered interventions, and research methods. She is also the director of the School's NIH-funded T32 pre and postdoctoral training program. Her service activities have involved sitting on numerous NIH grant review panels for NINR and NCI, serving on the Board of Directors of the American Pain Society, and Chairing the American Pain Society's Small Grants Program. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the 2008 recipient of the Midwest Nursing Research Society Distinguished Contribution to Research Award.

The Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding and dedicated service to the American Pain Society.

APS Announces 2009 Election Slate of Candidates
Your Vote, Your Voice

Thank you to those APS members who submitted nominations and to the APS Nominating Committee for choosing a slate of candidates that represents the diversity and expertise of the APS membership. The candidates are outstanding and dedicated APS members who believe in the mission of the organization.

President-Elect
Gilbert Fanciullo, MD MS
Seddon Savage, MD MS

Treasurer
Robert Jamison, PhD
David Williams, PhD

Director-at-Large
(3 open positions)
Martin Cheatle, PhD
Roger Fillingim, PhD

Carolyn Fairbanks, PhD
Karin Westlund High, PhD

Elliot Krane, MD
Knox Todd, MD MPH FACEP

Nominating Committee-Past Presidents
(3 open positions)
Michael Ashburn, MD MPH MBA
John Loeser, MD

Charles Cleeland, PhD
William Willis, MD PhD

Christine Miaskowski, PhD RN FAAN
Judith Paice, PhD RN

Nominating Committee-Members-at-Large
(4 open positions)
Greg Dussor, PhD
William Lariviere, PhD

Laura Frey Law, PhD PT
Kenneth Jackson, II, PharmD

Sean Mackey, MD PhD
Natalie Moryl, MD

Judith Scheman, PhD
Michelle Vincler, PhD

The election will be held online in February 2009 using secure online technology. An e-mail invitation will be sent to all voting members with active e-mail addresses. Those without e-mail will receive a letter of invitation via U.S. postal service with instructions about how to access the online ballot. Please take this time to add or update your e-mail address using the APS online directory or by calling an APS member services representative at 847/375-4715.

Thank you in advance for using your voice to help shape APS. Your vote is important!

2009 Annual Meeting Taking Shape


Meet with SIGS, Attend Valuable Plenary Sessions

Register today!

Temperate San Diego is the setting for the APS 28th Annual Scientific Meeting May 7–9, 2009. The conditions will be ideal for taking advantage of an invaluable opportunity to interact with like-minded SIG members and learn and discuss at several plenary sessions. Be sure to attend the Clinical Centers of Excellence and Awards Gala on Thursday, May 7. Don't miss these sessions:

Thursday, May 7

7:30–8:30 am

Keynote Address
The Spinal Cord-Brain Dialogue: Organizational Principles of Pain Processing Suggested in the Evolutionary Journey from Worms to Humans
Tony Yaksh, PhD

Plenary Session
Google Pain: The Place of Narrative
David Morris, PhD

4–5 pm

Special interest group (SIG) meetings for basic science; forensics; genetics and pain; measurement of pain and its impact; pain and disparities; pain in infants, children and adolescents; and pain rehab

6:30-10 pm

Clinical Centers of Excellence and Awards Gala

Friday, May 8

2:15–3:15 pm

Plenary Sessions

Mechanisms of the Most Powerful Pain Relievers of All … General Anesthetics
Marshall Devor, PhD

This Will Hurt Me More Than It Hurts You (or Vice Versa): Considering Individual Differences in Pain
Roger Fillingim, PhD

5–6 pm

SIG meetings for clinical trials; ethics and philosophy; geriatric pain; nursing issues; pharmacotherapy; and psychosocial

Saturday, May 9

8:30–10 am

Debate

Controversy: Opioids for Breakthrough Pain in Chronic, Noncancer Patients

Learn more at www.ampainsoc.org/meeting.

The Journal of Pain Highlights
The following highlights summarize selected articles from January 2009 (volume 10, number 1).

The Effectiveness of Online Mind-Body Intervention for Older Adults with Chronic Pain
Rebecca L.H. Berman, Madelyn A. Iris, Rita Bode, and Carol Drengenberg, Leonard Schanfield Research Institute and Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

Surfing the Internet could provide significant relief for seniors with chronic pain, according to research reported in The Journal of Pain.

A team of researchers assessed the value of mind-body, self-care techniques for helping older adults manage their pain. They reviewed self-care tools available online for older adults and documented the ability of the subjects to manage their pain better. Seventy-eight adults age 55 and older were enrolled and divided into intervention and comparison groups.

The intervention group used online intervention at least once per week for 6 weeks. Participants accessed a Web site with six modules for support with pain coping techniques, including abdominal breathing, relaxation, writing about positive experiences, writing about difficult experiences, creative visual expression, and positive thinking. Online instructional materials included video and textual components as well as illustrations and worksheets to encourage participants to reflect on their responses to pain and development of coping strategies.

At the end of the evaluation, the researchers concluded there was a statistically significant difference in pain response awareness in the intervention group and meaningful improvements in pain intensity and levels of interference in daily activity attributed to pain. The online support tools also were credited with improving confidence in nonmedical self-care techniques for managing pain. The authors concluded that online intervention may empower older adults with chronic pain to engage in self care, focus on managing pain in a positive way, and integrate what they learn into their daily routines.

Hippocampal Metabolite Abnormalities in Fibromyalgia: Correlation with Clinical Features
Patrick B. Wood, Christina R. Ledbetter, Michael F. Glabus (deceased), Larry K. Broadwell, and James Patterson II; LSU Health Sciences Center

Widespread body pain in fibromyalgia patients is associated with specific brain metabolite abnormalities, according to research in The Journal of Pain.

Scientists examined 16 fibromyalgia patients to assess the role metabolite abnormalities in the hippocampus region of the brain play in fibromyalgia pain stimuli. The hippocampus is sensitive to the effects of stress exposure and can be affected in a variety of disorders that are associated with stressful experiences, including fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is considered a stress-related disorder because of the frequent onset and exacerbation of pain symptoms. Brain-imaging studies have shown there are central nervous system disturbances that occur in response to pain stimulation.

From the analysis of subjects' brain scans, the researchers found that exposure to chronic stress produces an increase in hippocampal excitability that may play a role in the exaggerated sense of pain or hyperalgesia commonly experienced by fibromyalgia patients. Therefore, brain metabolite abnormalities in premenopausal patients who have fibromyalgia can disrupt the hippocampus region and inhibit brain activity required for modulating stress responses.

Body Mass Index and Quality of Life: Examining Blacks and Whites with Chronic Pain
Julia Caldwell, Tamera Hart-Johnson and Carmen Green, University of Michigan

Racial disparities in assessing body mass index (BMI) in patients with chronic pain generate significant outcomes variability in pain severity and overall quality of life, according to a study published in The Journal of Pain.

The study aimed to determine barriers to understanding the role of obesity in chronic pain by identifying predictors for the presence or absence of BMI in medical databases, to find group differences in BMI in chronic pain patients, and determine the role obesity plays in quality-of-life outcomes for pain patients.

The sample included 183 adults, with 92 Whites and 91 Blacks and 68 men and 115 women. The authors noted their study is the first to explore the consequences of obesity in a young, racially diverse chronic pain population.

The researchers found that Black pain patients were less likely to have their BMI assessed, even though the Black race is linked with higher BMI and is indirectly associated with lower physical functioning and higher pain-related disability. This leads to more pain-related disability than in Whites and shows significant racial disparity among chronic pain patients regarding BMI assessments.

Clinical Journal of Pain Highlights
The following highlights summarize selected articles from the November/December 2008 issue (volume 24, number 9).

Systematic Review of the (Cost-)Effectiveness of Spinal Cord Stimulation for People With Failed Back Surgery Syndrome
Malgorzata M. Bala, Robert P. Riemsma, John Nixon, and Jos Kleijnen, II Department of Internal Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS), a popular treatment among pain specialists for chronic pain, is generally used when other standard treatments have failed. Because there have been concerns over the effectiveness and cost of SCS, the authors of this study sought to analyze existing trials to determine their safety and cost-effectiveness.

Participants were adults with chronic pain due to failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). Case studies were considered if at least 50 patients were implanted, 60% had FBSS, and received a 1-year follow-up.

Each study was appraised by two independent health economic researchers based on a 10-point quality checklist. Thirteen nonrandomized studies were included; one randomly controlled trial with an abstract and one additional published economic evaluation were included. Quality of design was assessed as follows: randomly controlled trials were assessed with a 9-point checklist, cohorts with a 10-item checklist, and case series with a 6-item checklist.

The authors found that most studies consistently showed that SCS is both effective and cost-efficient, although it may take some time before the savings are noticed. In addition, there is an initial high cost for SCS that covers the cost of device implantation and maintenance.

All studies showed at least some complications, such as issues related to electrodes fracturing and repositioning, or other hardware failure as well as infections. The evidence collected from existing studies show that SCS is both effective and cost-effective for pain treatment.

Refined Insights into the Pain-Depression Association in Chronic Pain Patients
Felix Angst, Martin L. Verra, Susanne Lehmann, André Aeschlimann, and Jules Angst, RehaClinic Zurzach, Bad Zurzach, Switzerland

Authors of a recent study published in the Clinical Journal of Pain studied 273 chronic pain patients and found that the link between pain and depression was weaker than expected.

The authors conducted a thorough search of MedLine from 1966 to 2007 to identify articles with the following keywords: depression, pain, and correlation or association. For the study, patients who have had chronic pain for at least 6 months in at least three body quadrants were given the Short Form-36 (SF-36), the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Pain was determined primarily by the MPI pain severity scale; depression was determined primarily from the HADS.

Overall, the results showed a weak correlation between chronic pain and depression on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being a perfect correlation and 0 suggesting no correlation. On the SF-36 scale, the study showed an odds ratio of about 2.0, showing that depression in patients with higher levels of pain was twice as frequent as in patients with little or no pain. The authors report that the depressive syndrome characterized primarily by reduced mood level and functionality had a lower association with pain than did the depression syndrome characterized by anxiety and reduced activity.

Although the study offered a large sample size, low number of missing data, and the use of reliable assessment measures, the authors note that the limitations included having a sample population of chronic pain patients with a high level of pain and without the benefits of studying the correlations over time.

PAIN Highlights
The following highlights summarize selected articles from the November 30, 2008, issue (volume 140, number 1).

Identifying Biological Markers of Activity in Human Nociceptive Pathways to Facilitate Analgesic Drug Development
Boris A. Chizh,¹ Joel D. Greenspan,² Kenneth L. Casey,³ Michael I. Nemenov,⁴ Rolf-Detlef Treede ^5
(1) GlaxoSmithKline, Addenbrooke's Centre for Clinical Investigation, Cambridge CB2 2GG, UK
⁽²⁾ Department of Neural and Pain Sciences, Dental School and Program in Neuroscience, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
⁽³⁾ University of Michigan and VA Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI
⁽⁴⁾ Pain Research Center, Anesthesia Department, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
⁽⁵⁾ Department of Neurophysiology, Center for Biomedicine and Medical Technology Mannheim (CBTM), University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany

Half of Europe's adult population with moderate to severe chronic pain is undertreated. The authors of this article published in PAIN hypothesized that "preclinical to clinical transition can be facilitated by a rational use, in early drug development stages, of biological markers of activity in human nociceptive pathways." They also sought to determine if these markers would have translational value between animals and humans.

Even the most realistic animal models typically do not reflect the full complexity of pain in humans, so there is some disconnect between the two models, the authors report. In addition, the basic clinical symptoms can vary widely among preclinical, experimental, and clinical studies of new analgesics. A key to this issue is the use of human pharmacodynamic (PD) markers, which could provide very relevant information about clinical connections in the relevant pathways and validate pharmacology information predicted from previous preclinical data.

The authors suggest that translational measures could show comparison between animal and human relationships. Neurophysiological techniques such as magnetoencephalography (MEG), electroencephalography (EEG), and functional brain imaging measures (fMRI) were discussed as potential tests to determine pain perception, pain-related behaviors, and nociceptive markers. Further, positron-emission tomography (PET) studies can be used to quantify the level of receptor occupancy in the brain needed for a pharmacological effect.

Markers such as PET, fMRI, EEG, and MEG are considered to be objective measures, and techniques providing imaging data are especially informative. The authors believe there is a benefit in these techniques, but a cost-benefit balance needs to be demonstrated first. They conclude that there is a great need for the development of new analgesics; objective quantitative markers of activity can aid the process.

Metallic Taste Phantom Predicts Oral Pain Among 5-Year Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer
Henrietta L. Logan,¹ Linda M. Bartoshuk,¹ Roger B. Fillingham,¹ Scott L. Tomar,¹ William M. Mendenhall^2
(1) Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
⁽²⁾ Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

The survival rates for those with head and neck cancer are among the lowest of all malignancies, and yet long-term survivor pain has received less interest than might be expected. The authors of this recently published PAIN article studied pain in 5-year survivors of head and neck cancer to determine if metallic taste phantoms predict oral pain among long-term survivors.

The study included 100 5-year head and neck cancer survivors and 101 noncancer participants as a comparison group. Each noncancer patient was matched by age, sex, and location to a patient from the survivor group. Measures included tumor staging and location, function-based quality of life, oral pain, depression, anxiety, and tobacco use. Measures were obtained by using the Seattle Index of Co-morbidities, the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Oral Cancer Pain Questionnaire, the functional assessment of Cancer Therapy-Head and Neck Scale (FACT-H&N), and the CES-D 20-item scale.

The mean age of the survivor group was 64.9 years (SD 10.9); for the comparison group, the mean age was 64.1 years (SD 10.7). Because smoking was not significantly related to results, it was not included in the analysis. As the authors had hypothesized, 5-year cancer survivors had significantly lower function scores than the comparison group and higher scores on the spontaneous pain and function-related pain scales. Depression was found to be a significant predictor of function-related pain, but not of spontaneous pain.

The results differed from previous studies—45% of the 5-year survivors reported pain, compared to only 15% reported previously. This could be the result of a difference in treatment-each survivor in the current study had had radiation, the authors note. Pain was associated with a metallic taste phantom, which is often in conjunction with other conditions that damage taste, such as radiation therapy. More research is needed, as the study showed chronic pain to be a greater issue than previously reported.

Call for Submissions: Clinical and Basic Science Data Blitz

APS announces a request for submissions for the Clinical and Basic Science Data Blitz to be held on Wednesday, May 6, 2009, from 7–9 pm, in San Diego as part of the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting. Authors are encouraged to submit "hot topics" for presentation during the blitz; submissions from young investigators and junior faculty are encouraged. Selected presenters will have 5 minutes to present data and 5 additional minutes for questions. The blitz will be moderated by Robert Yezierski, PhD, and Marie Hoeger Bement, PhD PT.

To submit your work for consideration, please download this application, complete all requested information, and send it via e-mail to Jennifer Reinard, jreinard@connect2amc.com.

All submissions are due March 13, 2009. Primary/presenting authors will be notified of acceptance by the Data Blitz committee in early April. Blitz presenters will be responsible for all costs associated with travel to the annual meeting, including meeting registration.

Important note: Authors who will be presenting paper or poster abstracts at the annual meeting should not submit their work for the APS Data Blitz.

Resident's Course Reminder—Deadline in a Few Days!

As a reminder, the 2009 APS resident's course, Fundamentals of Pain Management: A Primer for Residents and Fellows©, will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, May 5 and 6, 2009, prior to the APS 28th Annual Scientific Meeting. Residents and fellows wishing to apply for a scholarship to attend the course should complete and submit the application no later than January 19, 2009.

If you are a third- or fourth-year resident in anesthesia, neurology, family medicine, emergency medicine, or physical/rehabilitation medicine, please click here for program information and to access the application.

If you are a nonmedicine trainee with interest in this program, please contact Erica Boyer at erica@cmmglobal.com or 918/343-6005 for instructions regarding the application process. Only candidates who are interested in pursuing an academic career involving pain management and who can commit to attending the full program May 5–9 should apply.

Scholarships include the 2-day intensive training and registration for the APS 28th Annual Scientific Meeting, a complimentary 1-year APS membership, round-trip transportation costs, hotel accommodations, and a food stipend.

This intensive 2-day course for third- and fourth-year residents and fellows in anesthesiology, neurology, family practice, emergency medicine, and physical and rehabilitation medicine is planned by a program steering committee comprising pain management experts from across the United States. As in past years, a limited number of scholarships for nonmedicine trainees will be offered.

The program combines didactic and interactive lectures and multidisciplinary breakout groups to present a diverse range of topics and experts in the field of pain. Participants will gain a foundation knowledge that—along with attendance at the 28th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA—will offer a body of current and relevant information in pain management and research. Attendance at the program will be reserved for 100 scholarship awardees who gain access through a competitive selection process.

APS is proud to sponsor this program as an important component in pain management education and is grateful for the initiative support provided by Endo Pharmaceuticals through an educational grant.

APS Responds to NIH

APS sent an e-mail on December 30, 2008, asking APS members to provide insight for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Transition Team. The message indicated that the Transition Team's charge is to "gather information that would be particularly important for President-Elect Obama, Secretary-Designate Daschle, and the yet-to-be-named new NIH Director to know about on day one—including both opportunities and potentially troublesome circumstances. The Transition Team does not make actual recommendations about programs, policies, or personnel, but we collect information that might help the new administration define priorities and make wise decisions."

APS leadership responded to the request by pointing to three articles published in the December 2008 issue of the Journal of Pain.

The main article discussing the need for NIH funding and pain is "Trends in Funding for Research on Pain: A Report on the National Institutes of Health Grant Awards Over the Years 2003 to 2007," by Bradshaw and colleagues. The authors say, "With decreased funding for research and continuing needs for resources to support national security and military efforts, major natural disasters and uncertain economic status, competition for limited research funds will intensify. The ability to track funding patterns becomes increasingly important for policy making decisions."

The others are editorials that address the importance of the findings in the research conducted by Bradshaw and colleagues. The first is written by Carmen R. Green, MD, "The Healthcare Bubble Through the Lens of Pain Research, Practice, and Policy: Advice for the New President and Congress." Dr. Green says, "The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a major funding source for biomedical research. Thus, it is disturbing to see a continued downward trend in total NIH funding and for NIH primary pain research funding in particular." She adds, "As healthcare reform discussions continue, it is crucial that pain is included in a meaningful manner. Potential gains are achievable only when the United States commits to a worthwhile investment in a substantive primary pain research agenda."

The second editorial, "Addressing the Decline in NIH Pain Research Funding" by the late Mitchell B. Max, MD, advises that "top-down government strategies are only a piece of the solution. We need to create the missing approaches from the ground up. Perhaps pain societies' boards of directors should study the distribution of pain grants as a guide to new initiatives."

Funding Announcements

International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Program of Grants and Awards
IASP has an extensive grants and awards program to support investigators working in basic or clinical research and to support education in developing countries. Visit the IASP Grants and Awards section of the IASP Web site for a list of available grants and awards.

Seymour Diamond Clinical Fellowship in Headache Education
The philosophy of the Seymour Diamond Clinical Fellowship in Headache Education of the National Headache Foundation is to encourage, provide for, and engage physicians towards the clinical management of headache patients. The Fellowship was established to honor Seymour Diamond, MD, a pioneer in the research and clinical study of patients worldwide with headache. Dr. Diamond is Executive Chairman and founder of the National Headache Foundation and Director of the Diamond Headache Clinic.

This program is an individualized hands-on approach at a headache clinic mutually selected between the committee and the applicant. The objectives are to develop competence in the management of common and complex headache problems, to publish a research paper keyed to the treatment of headache, and to prepare applicant for a career in treating headache patients. A certificate will be awarded upon successful completion of a 1-year fellowship.

For more information visit
http://www.headaches.org/For_Professionals/Fellowship_Grants

How Will a New Administration Affect Pain Care?

Barack Obama's impressive and historic victories in the popular and electoral votes certainly give him a mandate that extends largely to economic issues and perhaps secondarily to healthcare reform. How that mandate will affect pain care is yet to be determined.

With regard to key players and influencers in the new administration, Bob Saner, legislative counsel for the Pain Care Coalition (PCC), which comprises APS, the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the American Headache Society, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists, says that the President-Elect's Cabinet and staff choices so far have shown that his inner circle will be drawn largely from the ranks of Chicago allies and friends and previous members of the Clinton Administration. "It will be a tight-knit group, and finding someone in that circle who cares about pain could be the most important thing the pain community could do in the short run," he said.

The PCC is monitoring all the appointees, but until it's known who the key players are at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) (besides Secretary-Designate Daschle) and at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), speculating about their interest in pain care is not very useful, Saner said. "It's probably safe to predict that Cabinet and sub-Cabinet appointees at HHS and NIH will be more interested in new public health initiatives than their predecessors in the Bush Administration, and they will be less resistant to increases in NIH funding," he said. "Research science in general and NIH in particular may also benefit from increased short-term funding through an economic stimulus package, widely considered the first order of business for the new administration."

At press time, it was reported the Obama transition team has chosen Sanjay Gupta, MD, the chief medical correspondent for CNN, to be U.S. Surgeon General. Dr. Gupta also is a practicing neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital. According to the Washington Post, Dr. Gupta has also been offered a top post in the new White House Office of Health Reform, adding another duty that could make him the most influential U.S. surgeon general in history. Dr. Gupta is expected to accept both positions.

In the new Senate, there are seven or eight new Democrats representing Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Virginia, Alaska, and possibly Minnesota (depending on the final outcome there). There are two new Republicans in Idaho and Nebraska. Saner said pain care allies Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) likely will be back in senior posts on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). He also cautioned that small public health bills generally move through HELP in a bipartisan way, and Senator Enzi (R-WY), ranking minority member of the HELP Committee, and Senator Coburn (R-OK), who represents the last-minute obstacle to pain bill progress in the Senate, will remain on the committee.

Assuming the PCC will have continuing involvement with the Senate Armed Services and Veterans' Administration (VA) Committees next Congress, Saner said two or three spots could be filled on the Republican side of the Armed Services and only one Democratic slot (Obama's) on the VA Committee. Two key PCC allies on the VA Pain Bill, Senators Akaka and Burr, were not up for reelection this year and both will be back on the committee in key roles.

In the new House of Representatives, Saner believes the terrain won't change too much for pain care community priorities. "All of our pain champions were reelected—Reps Capps, Rogers, Loebsack, and Walz—but we will see more turnover on the key committees and subcommittees, including Appropriations, Commerce, Ways and Means, Armed Services, and VA."

He added that the Commerce Committee's priorities could change in the wake of Henry Waxman's (D-CA) successful challenge to John Dingell (D-MI) for chair of that panel. With Waxman at the helm, there could be significant changes to subcommittee assignments, including the health subcommittee. Both Capps and Rogers will stay on that panel.

There will be many new rank-and-file House members. "As we learn more about new House members and their committee assignments, we will be looking for new opportunities to cultivate supporters of pain-care issues," said Saner. "Looking back on the last Congress, we received remarkable help from two freshmen—Loebsack and Walz—and we will look for similar opportunities in the 111th Congress."

Finally, Saner noted that it is too early to assess the possible impact on PCC issues as a result of staff changes on Capitol Hill. "Hopefully, most staffers who are familiar with, and who helped advance, our various initiatives remain in place. Some Democratic Hill staff will be looking for jobs in the new administration, and some Republican staff likely will move on to other pursuits. With luck, some of both will move up to higher positions and take their knowledge of pain care with them to those positions."

Rita Allen Foundation Award Reminder

The Rita Allen Foundation (RAF) and APS announce a call for applications for the 2009 Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain. The RAF and APS may award two grants in the amount of $50,000 annually, for a period of up to 3 years to those research proposals demonstrating the greatest merit and potential for success.

Candidates must have completed their training and provided persuasive evidence of distinguished achievement or extraordinary promise in basic science research in pain. Candidates should be in the early stages of their career with an appointment at a faculty level.

The entire award is to be allocated to projects specifically chosen by the recipient. Overhead is not supported.

Deadlines
Applications may be submitted online now by visiting http://www.connect2conferences.com/aps4/ws_member/member_login.php
and are due by midnight January 23, 2009. Grant awards will be announced by April 1, 2009. Funds will be awarded for the initial 12-month grant period that will begin upon satisfactory execution of the grant agreement between the RAF and the recipient's institution. Applications will be reviewed by a Scientific Advisory Committee of APS and the RAF. The committee will not provide a review of unsuccessful applications.

Research Topics
Proposed research projects should be directed toward the molecular biology of pain and/or basic science topics related to the development of new analgesics for the management of pain due to terminal illness.

The application must include a curriculum vitae including the candidate's address and telephone numbers, and a written proposal in English of no more than seven pages, including references. The candidate should include letters of support from five people acquainted with the candidate's research. At least two of the support letters should come from individuals outside of the candidate's institution. In addition, a letter from the appropriate administrators and the Department Chair or Institute Head must demonstrate the strong support for the candidate's proposed research and career development. The candidate should list current and pending research support from all sources. The application process including submission of all letters is online at http://www.connect2conferences.com/aps4/ws_member/member_login.php

Eligibility
To be eligible for the Rita Allen Foundation Award in Pain the applicant:

• Must demonstrate the strong support of the appropriate administrators and department chair or institute head.
• Should have been on a tenure track for no more than 3 years; support will be reconsidered if a Rita Allen Foundation Scholar is awarded tenure.
• Must conduct the research and be appointed at an institution in the United States or Canada.
  
  

• Eligible grant expenses may include principle investigator salary but not institutional overhead.
• Recipients are required to submit a 500-word annual progress report and a financial report to the RAF in accordance with the terms of the grant agreement.
• Investigators are required to present an abstract presentation of the sponsored research at the APS Annual Meeting.

For additional information contact APS at 847/375-4715 or info@ampainsoc.org.

Young Investigator Travel Support

APS will again offer Young Investigator Awards for travel to the 2009 Annual Meeting. Funding awards are available to individuals presenting paper or poster abstracts at the meeting, May 7-9, 2009, in San Diego. Applicants may be from any research training background (basic or clinical science, psychology, medicine, or biostatistics) and may be at any level in training, including students, residents, predoctoral trainees, postdoctoral fellows, or those who have completed their postdoctoral training within the last 3 years. All applicants must be members of APS.

To apply for funding, complete the application located here. Applications must be completed online by February 27, 2009. If you have difficulty completing the application, contact APS at 847/375-4715. Applications will be reviewed by the APS Scientific Program Committee, and stipends will be awarded by March 17, 2009. Notifications will be sent to all applicants after March 17. All eligible young investigators will receive their travel grants at the annual meeting.

The APS travel stipend program is made possible through educational grants and an allocation of APS operating funds.

SIGs: Another Excellent Member Benefit!

Consider joining a special interest group (SIG). Participation in one or more SIGs is open to all members, regardless of discipline. Each multidisciplinary SIG provides a forum for specialized member interaction and allows members with like interests and issues to easily interact with each other to develop an extended network of resources and information.

Membership in the SIGs is included in annual dues. Membership will be designated in the APS Member Directory.

Visit the APS Web site for additional information about these current SIGs now available: basic science; clinical trials; ethics and philosophy; forensic; genetics and pain; geriatric pain; measurement of pain and its impact; nursing issues; pain and disparities; pain in infants, children and adolescents; pain rehabilitation; palliative care; pharmacotherapy; and psychosocial research.

To join a SIG, contact the APS national office at info@ampainsoc.org, or call our Membership Department at 847/375-4715.

Pain in the News

Many Americans Turning to Unconventional Medicine

Pain Drugs Double Risk of Second Heart Attack, Death in Study

Overuse of Headache Medications Can Lead to Even More Pain

Avoiding the painkiller-overuse rut in migraines

Click here to read more pain-related news in the media.

APS Bulletin Online
The current issue of the APS Bulletin (volume 18, number 3) is now available online. Here are links to highlights of this issue:
President's Message
Charles E. Inturrisi, PhD
Board Takes Action in Key Areas

Innovations in Practice
Deb Gordon, MS RN FAAN, Department Editor
Deb Gordon, MS RN FAAN, Mark Schroeder, MD
Intravenous Lidocaine for Postoperative Analgesia: Renewed Interest in an Old Strategy

Special Interest Groups
David Williams, PhD, Department Editor
Pain Genetics and Genome-Wide Association Studies

APS Staff Member Awarded

APS is pleased to announce that APS Education Director Stephen Biddle, MEd, is a recipient of the 2008 Robert Raszkowski, MD, PhD Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Hero Award. The ACCME presents this award to recognize individuals who have provided exemplary and long-term volunteer service to the ACCME. The award is named for the late Robert Raszkowski, MD PhD, a long-time and dedicated ACCME volunteer. The ACCME believes this award will reflect, honor, and serve to memorialize the kinds of contributions Dr. Raszkowski made during his extraordinary years of volunteerism and his commitment to excellence in continuing medical education.

Biddle has been associated with the ACCME since 1990. During this time, he has been a peer reviewer of CME providers submitting initial accreditation and reaccreditation applications, has served on the ACCME Monitoring Committee, and has been faculty for their 2-day accreditation workshops. Biddle acknowledges that much of what he learned about CME comes from having worked with Dr. Raszkowski.

Biddle recently joined APS in 2008. Executive Director Catherine Underwood comments, "Steve is most deserving of this award. He is collaborative, caring, and a great generator of new ideas; he is a prized member of the APS team."