BOCA RATON, Fla., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cancer
Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA), a
national network of five hospitals, and Pacira Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on opioid
alternatives, today announced a new collaboration dedicated to
reducing the risk of opioid dependence among cancer patients. The
goal of the Opioid Risk Reduction Initiative—an educational effort
focused on responsible use and increased awareness of opioid
alternatives—is to improve the cancer patient experience through
expanded pain management options.
"Historically, narcotics have been the cornerstone for pain
treatment after cancer surgery. If the patient complained of more
pain, we simply prescribed more narcotics," said Neil Seeley, MD, Chief, Division of Anesthesia
at CTCA®. "We had been taught that
narcotics for post-surgical pain were completely safe and did not
lead to long term use, but this appears not to be true for
everyone. Seeking an alternative, we have collaborated with Pacira
to shine a light on the risks, and identify alternative modes for
pain control where narcotics are relegated to a supportive
role. This will result in a meaningful and lasting impact on the
pain management of many thousands of current and future cancer
patients."
According to a national survey of 500 postsurgical patients and
200 surgeons across the United
States, the majority of clinicians polled (94 percent),
including those in non-cancer specialties, say they frequently
prescribe opioids to manage postsurgical pain. Alarmingly, 91
percent indicated they frequently feel pressure to prescribe more
opioids than their patients actually need. These were among the
findings reported in a 2016 national survey titled "Opioid
Addiction and Dependence After Surgery is Significantly Higher than
Previously Known," conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of
Pacira.
The Opioid Risk Initiative has three major goals: 1) educate
cancer patients about a variety of new and effective alternatives
to opioids and responsible use when opioids are required; 2)
collaborate with and educate the broader medical community to
expand responsible use and awareness of opioid alternatives,
ultimately enhancing the patient recovery experience while
alleviating issues related to opioid misuse, abuse and addiction;
and 3) ensure evidence-based clinical standardization of non-opioid
pain management protocols designed to minimize or eliminate opioid
exposure for cancer
patients.
Through a shared patient-centric philosophy, CTCA and Pacira
will work to support the development and delivery of both clinician
and patient education in the area of pain management. The next
steps for this collaboration include the discussion of appropriate
use guidelines for oncology patients, working toward clinical
consensus and publication to benefit this critical patient
population.
"Too often, cancer patients are left out of the conversation
about opioid use, despite the fact they may be facing multiple
surgical interventions and thus several exposures to postsurgical
pain medications. We see this collaboration as vital to the overall
improvement of the patient recovery experience, and it's a true
testament to both entities' commitment to innovation around patient
care," said Dave Stack, Chairman and
CEO at Pacira Pharmaceuticals. "We fully expect this program to
grow organically in depth and breadth, and we look forward to
enhancing awareness of non-opioid pain control options."
About Pacira
Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(NASDAQ:PCRX) is a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to
advancing and improving postsurgical outcomes for acute care
practitioners and their patients. The company's flagship product,
EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) was
commercially launched in the United
States in April 2012. EXPAREL
utilizes DepoFoam®, a unique and proprietary product delivery
technology that encapsulates drugs without altering their molecular
structure, and releases them over a desired period of time. To
learn more about Pacira, including the corporate mission to reduce
overreliance on opioids, visit www.pacira.com.
About Cancer Treatment Centers of
America®
Cancer Treatment
Centers of America Global, Inc. (CTCA) is a national network of
five hospitals in Atlanta,
Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa specializing in the
treatment of adult patients with cancer. CTCA® offers an
integrative approach to care that combines advancements in genomic
testing and precision cancer treatment, surgery, radiation,
chemotherapy and immunotherapy, with supportive therapies designed
to manage side effects and enhance quality of life both during and
after treatment. Our patient satisfaction scores consistently rank
among the highest for all cancer care providers in the country.
CTCA is also rated one of the most admired hospital systems in the
U.S. in national consumer surveys. Visit cancercenter.com,
Facebook.com/cancercenter and Twitter.com/cancercenter for more
information.
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SOURCE Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Pacira
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.