The Fibromyalgia Association of Michigan works closely with the National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain

Association. FAM director, Sharon Waldrop, serves as the Vice President of Education for the National

Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association.

Physician education, research and “cultural transformation” needed to combat social stigmas associated with pain

 

Chronic pain affects an estimated one in four, or 116 million U.S. adults including approximately 10 million with fibromyalgia.  Medical treatment and lost productivity due to pain also costs the nation up to $635 billion each year.

To call attention to this national epidemic, the National Fibromyalgia & Chronic Pain Association was among the nation’s top health professional and advocacy organizations hailing the historic Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) report on pain released June 29 at a press conference and live webcast in Washington D.C.

NFMCPA President Jan Favero Chambers was in Washington, D.C. for the release of "Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education and Research."

“We appreciate the exceptional work of the IOM and the IOM Committee in producing this important document that identifies social stigmas and barriers to pain care and ways to overcome these obstructions,” said Favero Chambers. “"For the first time, fibromyalgia and chronic pain patients now have a strong united voice that outlines a blueprint strategy for health care professionals to adequately prepare and guide patients in self-managing chronic pain until underlying mechanisms of pain are researched which results in elimination rather than management of chronic pain."

Members of the IOM Committee address the press

As the only member of the Pain Care Forum representing the fibromyalgia community, Favero Chambers will join select members of the committee returning to Washington, D.C. next week to further review the recommendations in the report. 

 

L-R: Dr. Sean Mackey, Jan Chambers, Dr. Phil Pizzo (Chair*), and Rosemary Garza at release of IOM Pain Report June 29, 2011, Wash., D.C. (*IOM Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education Committee)

 

“Training and education of current and future knowledge of pain understanding are central to the IOM’s report, and we are strategizing how to begin the transfer of information to the medical community and public.  Patient organizations were charged with being an integral part of educating their constituents, health care providers, and policy makers.  We are calling for Congressional hearings to further educate our legislators to the sweeping pervasiveness of the costs of pain to society and our economy,” Favero Chambers said of the work ahead.

To read the full IOM report, click here
To read highlights of the report, click here