The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a public workshop to obtain input on issues and challenges associated with federal efforts to train prescribers on pain management and the safe use of opioids.
The workshop has three major goals. First, participants will be asked to discuss the role that health care provider training plays, within the broader context of ongoing activities, to improve pain management and the safe use of opioids. Second, participants will be asked to comment on how best to provide health care providers, who prescribe or are directly involved in the management or support of patients with pain, appropriate training in pain management and the safe use of opioids. As a part of this discussion, current training efforts by States, hospitals and health care systems, Federal Agencies, professional associations and other groups will be considered in order to strategize how best to facilitate training for these health care providers. Finally, participants will also be asked about issues and challenges associated with possible changes to Federal efforts to educate health care providers on pain management and the safe use of opioids.
The public meeting, “Training Health Care Providers on Pain Management and Safe Use of Opioid Analgesics – Exploring the Path Forward,” is scheduled for May 9th and 10th, 2017, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm on the 9th and 8:30 am – 4:30 pm on the 10th. The event will be hosted at the Sheraton in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Seating for this event is limited and the FDA may limit the number of participants from each organization. If you are interested in attending, either in person or via webcast, you can register here. Registration closes for the event on May 1, 2017.
During online registration, you may indicate if you wish to provide a statement during the Open Public Comment Period. The FDA will do what it can to accommodate requests to make public comments based on time allocated for public comment. Individuals and organizations with common interests are urged to consolidate or coordinate their comments, and request time for a joint presentation. Following the close of registration date, the FDA will determine the amount of time allotted to each commenter and the approximate time each oral comment is scheduled to begin; commenters should arrive ahead of their scheduled time in case the agenda moves ahead of schedule so as to be sure not to forfeit their speaking time. All requests to make oral comments must be received by the close of registration on May 1, 2017. No commercial or promotional material will be permitted to be presented or distributed at the public workshop.
If time and space permit, the FDA will allow for onsite registration on the day of the workshop, starting at 7:30 am.
Comments can be submitted either electronically or written by July 10, 2017.