WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 18, 2019
The ASIPP ® 2020 Annual Meeting will be held
April 2-4 at the Hyatt Regency Dallas
This will be the 22nd annual meeting for ASIPP ® and is being held in conjunction with the Texas Pain Society . The Annual Meeting will be tailored to physicians, mid-level providers, and staff. Registration is now open.You can register in several ways. By phone contact Cindy at 270-554-9412. Online click here . In addition, the Exhibitor Prospectus is available to prospective sponsors and vendors. Click here to access the Exhibitor Prospectus.

Reserve your hotel room at discounted rates. The ASIPP ® meeting room block is now open for reservations. You may book online or by phone. Discounted rates include date of March 31-April 5 and will be available until March 17. Reserve by phone: 1-877-803-7534. Use the Group Discount Code: G-SIPP. Click h e re to reserve your room online.

If you have questions about the room block or the meeting, contact Karen Avery at kavery@asipp.org / 270-554-9412 x 4210
QUICK LINKS
 | HOTEL  | MEETING REGISTRATION  | EXHIBITOR PROSPECTUS / REGISTRATION   | ABSTRACT SUBMISSION / GUIDELINES  |
Stem Cell Therapy: What’s Real and What’s Not at California’s For-Profit Clinics
For-profit stem cell clinics have popped up around California in recent years, advertising that they can treat everything from arthritis to Alzheimer’s, without FDA approval.

They claim that injections of stem cells (naturally occurring “blank slate” cells that can grow into any type of cell) can help alleviate pain or illness by replacing or regenerating diseased tissue – claims that are not supported by existing research. The procedures can cost thousands of dollars out-of-pocket, and regulators have warned that patients have developed tumors, suffered infections and even lost eyesight after unapproved procedures.
When a DNA Test Says You’re a Younger Man, Who Lives 5,000 Miles Away
Three months after his bone marrow transplant, Chris Long of Reno, Nev., learned that the DNA in his blood had changed. It had all been replaced by the DNA of his donor, a German man he had exchanged just a handful of messages with.

He’d been encouraged to test his blood by a colleague at the Sheriff’s Office, where he worked. She had an inkling this might happen. It’s the goal of the procedure, after all: Weak blood is replaced by healthy blood, and with it, the DNA it contains.

But four years after his lifesaving procedure, it was not only Mr. Long’s blood that was affected. Swabs of his lips and cheeks contained his DNA — but also that of his donor. Even more surprising to Mr. Long and other colleagues at the crime lab, all of the DNA in his semen belonged to his donor. “I thought that it was pretty incredible that I can disappear and someone else can appear,” he said.
READ MORE | NEW YOUR TIMES |
Registration Open for ‘Truths and Myths of Stem Cell Therapy’ Webinar
Sairam Atluri, MD provides clarity on misconceptions about stem cells.
 
  1. Are stem cells the future or just a fad?
  2. Are they really a breakthrough to treat pain?
  3. Is FDA compliance mandatory?
  4. Do bone marrow stem cells work in the elderly or do we have to use perinatal stem cells?
  5. Do stem cells regenerate bones and cartilage?
  6. What about Exosomes?
  7. Is bone marrow aspiration is painful?
  8. Do we need to concentrate the bone marrow?
  9. How to get the best results with stem cell therapy
  10. Are stem cells opioid sparing?
 
Title: Truths and Myths of Stem Cell Therapy
Date: Wed, Jan 15, 2020
Time: 6:00pm-7:30pm EST
Fee: $175
Presenter: Dr. Sairam Atluri , Medical Director, Interventional Spine Specialists
A MedWatch Safety Alert was added to the FDA Recalls webpage
TOPIC : SynchroMed II Implantable Drug Infusion Pump by Medtronic: Class I Recall - Due to the Potential Presence of Foreign Particles Inside the Pump Motor Assembly Which May Lead to a Pump Motor Stall
 
AUDIENCE : Patient, Endocrinology, Health Professional, Risk Manager
 
ISSUE : Medtronic received reports of early permanent motor stall due to the potential presence of foreign particles inside the pump motor assembly. Permanent motor stall could prevent the infusion of drugs to the patient, which could cause serious injury, such as drug withdrawal, the return of symptoms of underlying conditions, the need for surgery to replace the pump, or death.
 
Medtronic has confirmed five reports of motor stall due to the presence of a foreign particle, which resulted in drug withdrawal, surgery to replace the pump, and delay of care. A sixth pump, which was removed surgically due to an unrelated infection, was later found to contain a foreign particle, but there was no indication of a motor stall. No deaths were reported.
RECOMMENDATION : Medtronic recommends that health care providers discuss with patients and caregivers the signs and symptoms that could occur from a motor stall.
Additionally, Medtronic advised health care providers to consider contacting their patients and caregivers and inform them to:

  • Be attentive to all alarms, especially critical alarms
  • Take the necessary steps in case of an emergency
  • Seek immediate medical attention if they notice signs or symptoms of drug withdrawal or of their underlying condition
  • Follow the provided instructions if they receive an alert message in the A820 myPTM app (Personal Therapy Manager application)

Health care providers and patients are encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of these products to the FDA's MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program:

  • Complete and submit the report online.
  • Download form or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, then complete and return to the address on the form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.
READ MORE | MEDWATCH | FDA |
ABIPP Recognizes Your Knowledge and Expertise

The American Board of Interventional Pain Physicians ( ABIPP ) has developed certification programs that recognize accepted levels of knowledge and expertise in the interventional pain management profession, with the goal of improved patient care. Hundreds of qualified physicians have made the commitment to become ABIPP certified.

ABIPP now offers the only competency certification program for regenerative medicine.
 
For complete information about the examination requirements and to obtain an application packet, visit
www.abipp.org or call 270-554-9412 x4217 or by email at summer@asipp.org .
JUNE 27
ABIPP Part I  
  • Combined CSM/CCPM Exam for ABIPP Path
  • Competency Exam in Controlled Substance Management
  • Competency Exam in Coding, Compliance, and Practice Management
 
JUNE 27-28
ABIPP Part II  
  • ABIPP Competency Exam
  • Regenerative Medicine Competency Exam
  • Endoscopic Lumbar Decompression Competency Exam
 
939 Ridge Lake Blvd.,
Memphis, Tennessee 38120

JUNE 2020 ABIPP EXAMS AND COMPETENCY EXAMS
June 27 - June 28, 2020 | Hilton Memphis
FOLLOW ASIPP ON TWITTER @ASIPP
Essentials of Regenerative Medicine in
Interventional Pain Management
Essentials of Regenerative Medicine in Interventional Pain Management is a book to bring concise, collective, and comprehensive information to interventional pain physicians practicing regenerative medicine in managing chronic pain. Regenerative medicine is an integral part of interventional pain management within the definitions of interventional pain management and interventional techniques.

Each chapter contains an introduction of the subject, historical context,pathophysiology, applicability of regenerative medicine with its evidence base, indications, anatomy, technical aspects, complications, and precautions for each topic when available and applicable. This comprehensive book consists of 35 chapters, more than 350 figures, and 50 tables.
Essentials of Regenerative Medicine in Interventional Pain Management
PLACE YOUR ORDER | CLICK HERE TO ORDER |
Submit Your Abstract To The ASIPP ® 2020 Annual Meeting Abstract/Poster Presentation

The 2020 Annual Meeting Abstract Submission form is now available! Abstracts must be submitted by February 17, 2020.
ABSTRACT SUBMISSION / GUIDELINES
Final CMS Payment Rules for Interventional Pain Physicians In-Office, ASC, and HOPD Settings
ASIPP ® and SIPMS will be sending comment letters to CMS. CMS released all 3 payment rules on November 1, 2019.
Links to Payment rates for major IPM codes:

In Published Work, Male Scientists Sing Their Own Praises More
New study finds men often use stronger language in medical research, which may contribute to gender differences in pay and promotion
 
Male scientists portray  their studies as “unprecedented,” “remarkable,” “excellent” and “novel” more often than female scientists, a new study finds, which may contribute to gender differences in pay and promotion in the medical world.

The study,  published Monday  in the British Medical Journal, analyzed more than 6.2 million articles published in journals between 2002 and 2017.

The researchers found that studies in prestigious journals with a male first or last author (or both) were 12% more likely to use sweeping, positive terms—“unique,” “robust,” “prominent”—than those where women were credited, which they believe contributed to the male studies getting about 10% more citations. The first author is the researcher who took the lead on the paper, the last generally is the most senior author.

Citations are often used in hiring and promotion decisions.
READ MORE | WALL STREET JOURNAL |
Pain Physician November/December
2019 Articles Available Online Now
The November/December issue of Pain Physician features a Health Policy article on the changes in utilization of interventional techniques in the Medicare population, a look at opioid prescribing in Switzerland, and opioid prescribing training in fellowship programs in the US, as well as several systematic reviews, randomized trials and original research.
HEALTH POLICY REVIEW

Update on Reversal and Decline of Growth of Utilization of
Interventional Techniques In Managing Chronic Pain in the
Medicare Population from 2000 to 2018
Laxmaiah Manchikanti, MD; Mahendra Sanapati, MD; Vidyasagar Pampati, MS; Mark V. Boswell, MD, PhD; Alan D. Kaye, MD, PhD; Joshua A. Hirsch, MD

ANALYSIS SURVEY

Opioid Prescription in Switzerland:
Appropriate Comedication use in Cancer and Noncancer Pain
Maria M. Wertli, MD, PhD; Ulrike Held, PhD; Andri Signorell, MSC; Johann Steurer, MD; Eva Blozik, MD; Jakob M. Burgstaller, MD, PhD

What are Future Pain Physicians Learning? A Survey of
Opioid Prescribing Practices Among US Pain Fellowship Programs
Ferdinand Iannaccone, DO; Peter Nielson, MD; Hazeez Adigun, MD; Andrew Kaufman, MD
Join the AMA to help us keep our seat in the House of Delegates
 
The American Medical Association (AMA) requires all societies to requalify for membership in the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) every five years. In order for ASIPP to retain our seat, the AMA requires that 20% of ASIPP’s physician members also be members of the AMA. Unfortunately, ASIPP is at risk of losing representation in the AMA because we have fallen below the 20% membership minimum threshold.
 
Membership in the AMA gives us a voice in shaping policy that affects our practice and patients. We encourage you to join or renew your membership in the AMA. Joining the AMA will further strengthen our specialty’s representation at the national level through the AMA House of Delegates, the AMA’s policymaking body, and strengthen our ability to meet the challenges in health care today with thoughtful, well-organized responses.
 
We strongly encourage you to join the AMA today to help us keep our seat at the table. Right now, you can become a member and pay only half the dues.
 
The stronger our membership, the more we can advance issues that are important to our specialty including improving the Medicare Quality Payment Program, reducing administrative burdens and ensuring accurate coding and reimbursement of our services.

Thank you for supporting ASIPP!
JOIN AT HALF PRICE | CLICK HERE |
Interventional Pain Management Reports is an Open Access online journal, a peer-reviews journal dedicated to the publication of case reports, brief commentaries and reviews and letters to the editor. It is a peer-reviewed journal written by and directed to an audience of interventional pain physicians, clinicians and basic scientists with an interest in interventional pain management and pain medicine. 

Interventional Pain Management Reports is an official publication of the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP) and is a sister publication of Pain Physician . Interventional Pain Management Reports Interventional Pain Management Reports is an open access journal, available online with free full manuscripts.  

So submit today your:
  • Case Reports
  • Technical Reports
  • Editorials
  • Short Perspectives
SUBMIT TO IPM REPORTS | CLICK HERE |
Control Your Waiting Room TV

Customized waiting room TV exclusively for ASIPP ® members. Create your own ad-free television broadcasts using our videos, custom informational slides and your own YouTube videos. Even add local weather reports, news and live messages.
GET YOUR OWN LOBBY TV CHANNEL | CLICK HERE FOR ASIPP-TV |
State Society Meetings
Send in your state society meeting news to Holly Long , hlong@asipp.org
ASIPP | Pain Physician Journal | Phone | Fax | Email