The Changing Paradigm in Pain Management and Supporting Access to Novel Therapies

Program Description

Acute pain management is a significant challenge in health care, and current strategies are often limited by concerns of opioid dependence, which may result in undertreatment. This has resulted in greater emphasis on the use of non-opioid analgesics as safe alternatives to opioid prescribing. This educational activity will review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of acute pain, focusing on the role of voltage-gated sodium channels, and the impact of unmanaged pain on patients' quality of life. Other challenges that will be discussed include inadequate traditional pain assessment tools, the opioid epidemic, and the limitations of existing treatment modalities, as well as the societal and personal health care costs of acute pain. Novel non-opioid therapies, including voltage-gated sodium blockers, present several challenges that managed care professionals must consider surrounding reimbursement and cost implications, which must be weighed against their clinical benefits in reducing time to pain relief, and providing a non-addictive, opioid-sparing option. Managed care considerations, including the burden of acute pain, health care resource utilization, and the evaluation of novel therapies for formulary inclusion, will also be addressed.

Target audience: Health System Pharmacist, Managed Care Pharmacist

Type of activity: Application
Release date: June 30, 2025
Expiration date: June 30, 2026

Time to complete activity: 1.0 hour

Learner level: Foundational
Fee: Free

Educational Objectives

At the completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

• Examine the impact of inadequate acute pain management on pain outcomes and health care costs
• Identify the efficacy and safety of novel non-opioid therapies for acute pain and evidence-based recommendations for integrating these therapies into managed care practices to improve patient outcomes
• Analyze the implications of managed care policies, formulary decisions, and payer guidelines on the access and utilization of novel non-opioid treatments for acute pain as well as strategies to advocate for improved patient access