Four-Star General Barry McCaffrey And Top National & State Officials At Winter Park News Conference 11am Aug. 15 To Urge Expansion Of Responsible Pain Management; To Address Treatment Gap For 116 Million Nationwide, Six Million Floridians

Former U.S. Drug Czar & 4-Star Gen. Barry McCaffrey, Prospira CEO Dr. Barry Karlin, FL Pain Management Incoming President Dr. Jeffrey Zipper, and Patients Saved from Pain including ex-Congresswoman Sandy Adams, Join Officials and Legislators, to Call for Expansion of Responsible Pain Management;  State Reps John Tobia and Bill Hager, and top reps of FL Health Dept among leaders speaking

News Conference: 11AM, Thursday, August 15, at The National Pain Institute,
1693 Lee Road, Winter Park, Florida 32789

WINTER PARK, Fla., Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Four-Star General and Former U.S. National Drug Policy Director Barry McCaffrey, Prospira PainCare Chairman and CEO Dr. Barry Karlin, and Dr. Jeffrey Zipper, the Florida Academy of Pain Management incoming President, top state officials and legislators, and patients saved from pain including former Congresswoman Sandy Adams of Orlando, will speak at a news conference at 11:00 AM Eastern on Thursday, August 15, in Winter Park Florida, on "The Unmet National and Florida Gap in Responsible Pain Management."

The news conference will take place at The National Pain Institute, 1693 Lee Road, Winter Park, Florida 32789 and will run from 11 AM – 12 Noon followed by additional media interviews and informal conversations as well as lunch for participants and press who would like to stay.

State Representatives John Tobia (Melbourne, member of Health and Criminal Justice committees) and Bill Hager (Delray Beach, Vice Chair of the Civil Justice and Insurance subcommittees), and top representatives of the Florida Surgeon General and Health Department are among other leaders also speaking.

According to a statement from Gen. McCaffrey, Dr. Karlin, and Dr. Zipper, 116 million Americans including six million Floridians suffer from pain—two-thirds chronic (pain which perseveres), and one third acute (pain which disappears).  The cost to society of people in pain is enormous -- $600 Billion dollars a year -- $300 Billion spent in direct treatment costs and another $300 Billion on indirect costs such as lost productivity in the workplace.  They stated, "Pain affects all of us, yet most of us who have pain literally remain in pain. It is one of America's most severe health needs, and it remains largely unmet." 

They continued, "Florida is a leader in the field both in addressing pain management and in making certain that unscrupulous pill mills and diversion do not dominate the provision of services. With Florida's over 3.5 million seniors (the highest percentage in the country), and six million of all ages suffering from pain, the state is especially important as a national model to 'do it right.'  Everyone—legislators, doctors, other caregivers –all wish to assure that care is provided with proper financial and medical safeguards."

National, state, and local political leaders and health experts will participate and speak at the event.  Prospira PainCare will also announce Gen. McCaffrey's involvement, new facilities and expansions in Florida, and its having acquired the National Pain Institute (a highly respected and the largest pain management program in Florida).

"The focus of the news conference is on the treatment gap and alleviating suffering of those in pain with high quality comprehensive, integrated treatment," the organizers' statement concluded.      

Contacts: Bob Weiner/Richard Mann 301-283-0821, cell 202-306-1200, [email protected]

SOURCE Robert Weiner Associates

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