Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) for
Extended-Release and Long-Acting Analgesic Opioids:
Achieving Safe Use While Improving Patient Care

A free CE course on the REMS for Analgesic Opioids

Provided by the American Pain Society and The Collaborative for REMS Education

REMS Overview | Faculty and Continuing Education | Registration

Who Should Attend

Primary care providers, pain management, addiction and palliative care specialists, and clinicians representing all arenas of the health care system who struggle to successfully manage their patients’ pain.

Why Attend

For many patients, long-acting and extended release opioid medications constitute an effective and valuable element in the pain management plan. However, opioid prescription involves many complex issues of misuse, abuse, addiction, adverse effects, and fear of legal and regulatory action.

In order to address risk and safety concerns, reduce serious adverse outcomes, and simultaneously ensure that persons with pain maintain necessary access to opioids, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has requested from the REMS Program Committee (RPC), a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) plan that applies to all long‐acting and extended release opioid analgesic medications. In response to the REMS program’s emphasis on prescriber education, a group of professional organizations has come together to create the Collaborative for REMS Education (CO*RE). This partnership of ten professional organizations represents a significant portion of all opioid prescribers and individuals who will be affected by REMS. Individually and collectively, the CO*RE partners are deeply committed to providing continuing education that results in optimal pain management and ideal care for all patients.  This REMS course will provide prescribers with information needed to effectively assess the pain patient, develop a treatment plan, assess for risk of opioid abuse, and plan for ongoing assessment of the patient.

What You Can Expect to Gain

APS and CO*RE will present a 3-hour session on these REMS on Saturday, May 11 in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Topics which will be discussed during the session include:

• The initial assessment of the pain patient
• Development of a treatment plan
• Assessment of risk for abuse
• Ongoing reassessment of the patient 

By participating in this meeting, attendees can expect to achieve the following objectives:

• Describe appropriate patient assessment for treatment with Extended-Release and Long-Acting (ER/LA) opioid analgesics, evaluating risks and potential benefits of ER/LA therapy as well as possible misuse
• Apply proper methods to initiate therapy, modify dose, and discontinue use of ER/LA opioid analgesics, applying best practices including accurate dosing and conversion techniques as well as appropriate discontinuation strategies.
• Demonstrate accurate knowledge about how to manage ongoing therapy with ER/LA opioid analgesics, properly use  evidence based tools while assessing for adverse affects
• Employ methods to counsel patients and caregivers about the safe use of ER/LA opioid analgesics, including proper storage and disposal.
• Review/assess general and product-specific drug information concerning ER/LA opioid analgesics, identifying potential adverse affects of ER/LA opioids.

Location

Saturday, May 11, 2013
11:30 am–2:30 pm
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
New Orleans, LA
A light lunch will be served.

If you are in need of lodging, please click here for information.

Registration

APS will hold its 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting from May 8-11 in New Orleans.  The REMS session will be offered as a separate, no-cost session within the Annual Scientific Meeting.  Participants have the choice to attend the full Annual Scientific Meeting and pay the appropriate registration fee OR attend just the 3-hour REMS session on Saturday, May 11.  There is no fee to register for and attend just the REMS session.  There is a fee to attend the full Annual Scientific Meeting.

When you register, you will be prompted to choose between Annual Scientific Meeting Registration or REMS Session Only Registration.  Please select the registration you are interested in attending.  Register Now

To register by fax or mail, click here to download the APS and CO*RE Registration Form.

Acknowledgement

Presented by the American Pain Society, a member of the Collaborative on REMS Education (CO*RE), 10 interdisciplinary organizations working together to improve pain management and prevent adverse outcomes, this CO*RE EL/LA Opioid REMS initiative is supported by an independent educational grant from ER/LA Opioid Analgesic REMS Program Companies (RPC). Please see www.er-la-opioidREMS.com for a listing of the member companies. This activity is intended to be fully compliant with the ER/LA Opioid Analgesic REMS education requirements issued by the FDA.

Disclosure

It is the policy of APS that the planners, faculty, and this provider disclose the existence of any significant financial interest or other relationships they and/or their spouse/partner may have with the manufacturers of any commercial products or services relating to the topics presented in the educational activity. APS also requires disclosure of the intent to discuss unlabeled uses of a commercial product or investigational use of a product not yet approved for this purpose. It is the responsibility of the Planning Committee to review potential conflicts of interest as submitted in the disclosure form and resolve such conflicts. Resolving the conflicts ensures that the content of the activities is aligned with the interests of the public. Detailed disclosure information will be published in course materials. Learners will also be informed when no relevant financial relationships exist.

Disclaimer

The material presented in this activity represents the opinion of the speakers and not necessarily the views of APS.

There are no prerequisites for participation in this activity.

Registered participants will receive access to the online evaluation system.  To claim continuing education credit, participants must complete the evaluation form.

REMS Overview | Faculty and Continuing Education | Registration