Business Wire September 7, 2017
September is designated Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month, raising public awareness about non-pharmacologic options – such as chiropractic care – to safely and effectively relieve acute, subacute, and chronic pain. Sponsored by California Chiropractic Association and in collaboration with the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), this month of observance will educate and inform consumers, managed care experts, state legislators and patient referral sources.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– September is designated Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month, raising public awareness about non-pharmacologic options – such as chiropractic care – to safely and effectively relieve acute, subacute, and chronic pain. Sponsored by California Chiropractic Association and in collaboration with the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), this month of observance will educate and inform consumers, managed care experts, state legislators and patient referral sources.
“Drug addiction often begins with opioid prescriptions for pain,” says CCA President Leslie Hewitt, DC. “In fact, a recent study by the Department of Health & Human Services stated that, on an average day in the U.S., more than 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed. Pain management should begin with chiropractic care as a first-line option to reduce pain and increase function for individuals who are suffering.”
Throughout the September Awareness Month consumer-focused activities include:
- Community events: DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative, Sports Injury Day, Pediatrics and Addicted Babies Awareness Day, Remembering our Vets and Honor Day
- Media: Press Releases, Public Service Announcements (PSAs), Advertisements and Editorial Coverage
- Toolkits: Opioid Toolkit 1.0, Opioid Toolkit 2.0
According to Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president of F4CP – a not-for-profit organization dedicated to informing and educating the general public about the value of chiropractic care – says, “Healthcare providers across all disciplines should acknowledge chiropractic care to their patients as a safe and effective conservative care option prior to prescribing addictive and potentially fatal opioids. Prescription painkillers have yet to be proven effective for long-term pain management, and the public needs access to safe and effective drug-free options, including chiropractic. Non-pharmacologic pain management should be a primary alternative to prescription opioids.”
The Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month observance will be included annually in the Society for Healthcare Strategy & Market Development of the American Hospital Association official healthcare observance calendar.
California Chiropractic Association is a Sacramento-based statewide, nonprofit organization of doctors of chiropractic and allied industries representing the chiropractic profession. Established in 1928, CCA’s mission is to is position doctors of chiropractic to improve the quality of life of all Californians.