Cancer Treatment Centers of America® Teams with Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. on Innovative Collaboration to Educate Physicians and Patients about Responsible Opioid Use

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Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Nov 29, 2017, 06:00 ET

BOCA RATON, Fla., Nov. 29, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Cancer Treatment Centers of America^®(CTCA), a national network of five hospitals, and Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on opioid alternatives, today announced a new collaboration dedicated to reducing the risk of opioid dependence among cancer patients. The goal of the Opioid Risk Reduction Initiative—an educational effort focused on responsible use and increased awareness of opioid alternatives—is to improve the cancer patient experience through expanded pain management options.

"Historically, narcotics have been the cornerstone for pain treatment after cancer surgery. If the patient complained of more pain, we simply prescribed more narcotics," said Neil Seeley, MD, Chief, Division of Anesthesia at CTCA^®. "We had been taught that narcotics for post-surgical pain were completely safe and did not lead to long term use, but this appears not to be true for everyone. Seeking an alternative, we have collaborated with Pacira to shine a light on the risks, and identify alternative modes for pain control where narcotics are relegated to a supportive role. This will result in a meaningful and lasting impact on the pain management of many thousands of current and future cancer patients."

According to a national survey of 500 postsurgical patients and 200 surgeons across the United States, the majority of clinicians polled (94 percent), including those in non-cancer specialties, say they frequently prescribe opioids to manage postsurgical pain. Alarmingly, 91 percent indicated they frequently feel pressure to prescribe more opioids than their patients actually need. These were among the findings reported in a 2016 national survey titled "Opioid Addiction and Dependence After Surgery is Significantly Higher than Previously Known," conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Pacira.

The Opioid Risk Initiative has three major goals: 1) educate cancer patients about a variety of new and effective alternatives to opioids and responsible use when opioids are required; 2) collaborate with and educate the broader medical community to expand responsible use and awareness of opioid alternatives, ultimately enhancing the patient recovery experience while alleviating issues related to opioid misuse, abuse and addiction; and 3) ensure evidence-based clinical standardization of non-opioid pain management protocols designed to minimize or eliminate opioid exposure for cancer patients.

Through a shared patient-centric philosophy, CTCA and Pacira will work to support the development and delivery of both clinician and patient education in the area of pain management. The next steps for this collaboration include the discussion of appropriate use guidelines for oncology patients, working toward clinical consensus and publication to benefit this critical patient population.

"Too often, cancer patients are left out of the conversation about opioid use, despite the fact they may be facing multiple surgical interventions and thus several exposures to postsurgical pain medications. We see this collaboration as vital to the overall improvement of the patient recovery experience, and it's a true testament to both entities' commitment to innovation around patient care," said Dave Stack, Chairman and CEO at Pacira Pharmaceuticals. "We fully expect this program to grow organically in depth and breadth, and we look forward to enhancing awareness of non-opioid pain control options."

About Pacira
Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCRX) is a specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to advancing and improving postsurgical outcomes for acute care practitioners and their patients. The company's flagship product, EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) was commercially launched in the United States in April 2012. EXPAREL utilizes DepoFoam®, a unique and proprietary product delivery technology that encapsulates drugs without altering their molecular structure, and releases them over a desired period of time. To learn more about Pacira, including the corporate mission to reduce overreliance on opioids, visit www.pacira.com.

About Cancer Treatment Centers of America^®Cancer Treatment Centers of America Global, Inc. (CTCA) is a national network of five hospitals in Atlanta, Chicago, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Tulsa specializing in the treatment of adult patients with cancer. CTCA® offers an integrative approach to care that combines advancements in genomic testing and precision cancer treatment, surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and immunotherapy, with supportive therapies designed to manage side effects and enhance quality of life both during and after treatment. Our patient satisfaction scores consistently rank among the highest for all cancer care providers in the country. CTCA is also rated one of the most admired hospital systems in the U.S. in national consumer surveys. Visit cancercenter.com, Facebook.com/cancercenter and Twitter.com/cancercenter for more information.

SOURCE Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc.