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VA HSR&D Investigator Chairs American Heart Association Project That Reports Potential for Alarming Increase in Cardiovascular Disease and Costs

November 17, 2010

Robert Kerns, Ph.D., will be appointed to the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education. The Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health asked IOM to convene this Committee to address the current state of the science with respect to pain. The Committee will address several key areas:

• Public health significance, with regard to acute and chronic pain care in the U.S.;
• Barriers to appropriate pain care and strategies to overcome these barriers;
• Disparities in pain care, e.g., special populations (elderly, persons with comorbidities);
• Scientific tools and technology to advance training in pain research; and
• Opportunities for public-private collaborations in pain research, care, and education.

As VHA's National Program Director for Pain Management, Dr. Kerns brings a wealth of experience to this Committee. Dr. Kerns also is Director of the Pain Research, Informatics, Medical comorbidities, and Education (PRIME) Center at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System; funded by HSR&D, the Center will build capacity for health services research related to pain. He also is a member of the Food and Drug Administration's Arthritis Advisory Committee and participates as a voting member, as needed, on other pain-relevant FDA advisory panels. In addition, Dr. Kerns is currently working on research to evaluate the use of technologies (i.e., Internet, videoconferencing) for the delivery of automated self-management interventions for disadvantaged and diverse populations with chronic pain.

For more information about the IOM Committee on Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education, visit the IOM website at www.iom.edu/Activities/PublicHealth/PainResearch.aspx.