Grünenthal press releases 2011

Symposium on the "Societal Impact of Pain" receives support by all three European institutions: EU Parliament, EU Commission and EU Presidency

MEDIA ALERT

3-4 May, 2011
Symposium "Societal Impact of Pain" (SIP)
European Parliament
 Rue Wiertz / Wiertzstraat 60, 1047 Brussels

Outline Programme:

Tuesday, 3 May
13:00 - 14:00 Opening
14:00 - 15:00 Setting the stage - Pain care, an unmet societal need?
15:15 - 18:00 Society's perspective: painfully dealing with multiple interests

Wednesday, 4 May
08:30 - 12:00 Parallel Workshops
       Workshop 1: Consumers, costs or patients: dealing with pain on a daily basis
       Workshop 2: Pain policy: Ensuring access to pain treatment
       Workshop 3: Pain - Numbers, facts and figures
       Workshop 4: Healthy aging; Pain, ethics and society
       Workshop 5: What does best practice in pain management look like?
       Workshop 6: Pain care in the future, societal requirements

Wednesday, 4 May
13:00 - 14:00 Patient access to pain treatment
14:00 - 15:00 Workshop summaries: Roadmap to Action
16:00 End

14 April, 2011 - On 3-4 May 2011, 300 European health care stakeholders from more than 30 countries representing most EU member states will come together in the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss the "Societal Impact of Pain" (SIP 2011). The event is thereby being supported by all three European institutions, the EU Parliament, the EU Commission and the EU Presidency.

The unique meeting, co-hosted by Dr Jirí Maštálka MEP and Dr Milan Cabrnoch MEP, will be opened by EU commissioner John Dalli, responsible for Health and Consumer Policy followed by an impressive list of speakers of over 100 top-level scientist, high ranked authorities, patient representatives and MEPs.

The symposium is being endorsed by over 80 international organisations of different backgrounds and interests (http://www.sip-meetings.org/links). The scientific framework of SIP 2011 is designed under the responsibility of the European Federation of IASP® Chapters (EFIC®). Moreover the current Hungarian presidency of the council of the European Union approved of the symposium and agreed to take the "Societal Impact of Pain" under her auspice.

 "As it's central topic the symposium aims at developing a "Roadmap to Action" with concrete outcomes and action items to illustrate the urgency for European governments and the EU institutions to act and to put the Societal Impact of Pain on their policy agenda." States EFIC president elect Prof. Hans G. Kress." In particular, the Roadmap calls for concrete actions by the European Parliament to relieve the burden caused by pain to society."

Kris Vissers, Professor in Pain and Palliative Medicine from Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, states: "Pain is a major healthcare problem in Europe. The magnitude of the chronic pain epidemic in terms of human suffering and costs to society are well known in the field of Pain Medicine. Today in most European countries pain does not have a priority on the agenda of healthcare authorities and health care professionals as they are merely interested in the underlying disease and do not consider pain as a disease in its own right. As inadequate pain control along with dissatisfaction with pain treatments are reported by patients throughout the European member states it is clear that chronic pain has a dramatic impact on European society. A good collaborative program of scientific societies, innovative industrial partners, policymakers and decision-makers therefore can improve the care for those patients and families."
For more information on the background and programme of the symposium "Societal Impact of Pain" 2011, please refer to: http://www.sip-meetings.org/SIP 2011 Background

-ENDS-

Notes to Editors:

About The Societal Impact of Pain
The scientific framework of SIP 2011 is designed under the responsibility of the European Federation of IASP® Chapters (EFIC®) and is endorsed by more then 80 international patient advocacy and scientific organisations of different backgrounds and interests. The pharmaceutical company Grünenthal GmbH is responsible for logistic support, preparation and organisation. The event will be kindly co-hosted at the European parliament by Dr Jirí Maštálka MEP and Dr Milan Cabrnoch MEP.
The objectives of the symposium are to discuss the key challenges, goals and policy instruments with budget holders, strategic decision makers and representatives of stakeholder organisations to improve pain care in Europe.
For managers and administrators involved in strategic decision-making on pain related issues from the perspective of national healthcare systems the symposium will be a good opportunity to network and share best practice with healthcare authorities, insurance companies and budget holders from all over Europe. For healthcare professionals, patient and consumer representatives the symposium will create a platform to interact and present their work to improve pain care.
For more information, please visit www.sip-meetings.org.

About EFIC
The European Federation of IASP® chapters (EFIC®) is a multidisciplinary professional organisation in the field of pain science and medicine, made up of the 34 European Chapters of National Pain Societies of IASP (International Association for the Study of Pain). Established in 1993, EFIC's 34 constituent chapters represent Pain Societies from 34 countries and close to 20,000 scientists, physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, psychologists and other healthcare professionals across Europe, who study pain and treat patients suffering from pain.
For more information, please visit www.efic.org.

For further information, please contact:

Sip-meetings@grunenthal.com

or

European Federation of IASP® Chapters
Medialaan 24
1800 Vilvoorde - Belgium
Tel: +32 2 251 55 10
Fax: +32 2 251 48 10
Email: secretary@efic.org
www.efic.org