PriCara(R) Launches PrescribeResponsibly.com to Support Responsible Prescribing of Opioid Medicines Used to Treat Pain

RARITAN, N.J., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- PriCara,^® Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today the launch of PrescribeResponsibly.com, a new Web site for healthcare professionals about the appropriate and responsible prescribing of opioid analgesics -- prescription medicines that are used to treat pain.  PriCara^® teamed up with leaders in pain management, psychology, addiction medicine, and other experts to develop the site content.  

Physicians cite a number of concerns when prescribing opioid analgesics to people with pain, including risks of diversion and misuse. These concerns can present barriers to appropriate pain management and may lead to the undertreatment of pain. PrescribeResponsibly.com reflects the company's commitment to responsible prescribing of pain medications for patients with acute and chronic pain.

"We are pleased to bring together pain management experts to develop a resource that will further educate prescribers about the responsible use of opioid analgesics," said Bruce Moskovitz, MD, Therapeutic Area Leader for Pain, Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC.

About PrescribeResponsibly.com

PrescribeResponsibly.com explores topics related to the appropriate prescribing of opioid analgesics.  The content includes case studies to help healthcare professionals assess various clinical scenarios, sections about the role of genetics in pain and response to opioid analgesics, and information about why it is important to understand these factors when prescribing opioid analgesics.

Following is a brief overview of a few of the Web site's sections:

• What a Prescriber Should Know Before Writing the First Prescription: a section devoted to the fundamentals a physician should know before prescribing opioid analgesics, such as definitions of terms like addiction, tolerance and physical dependence, and the use of opioid agreements.
• Assessing Patients With Pain and Using Evaluation Tools: a section that helps prescribers become more knowledgeable about risk assessment -- an essential part of safely prescribing opioid analgesics. It also features various evaluation tools that may be helpful when treating patients in pain.
• Philosophy of Urine Drug Testing in Pain Management: a section that takes a close look at the value of urine drug testing in assisting prescribers' diagnostic and therapeutic decision making in treating people with pain.

The case studies provided on PrescribeResponsibly.com were written by expert contributors to help prescribers better understand and tackle tough scenarios that may be encountered when caring for patients with pain. Each case study provides a situation overview, the scenario, key learning points, and application measures.  

"As a pain and addiction medicine specialist, I understand the important role opioid analgesics can have in a patient's treatment plan when prescribed appropriately. I also appreciate physicians' concerns about prescribing opioid analgesics," said Howard A. Heit, MD, FACP, FASAM, contributor to the site. "PrescribeResponsibly.com gives healthcare professionals the resources and tools they can use in their practices that will help them feel comfortable prescribing opioid analgesics, and ultimately help them achieve a greater level of mutual trust and better treatment outcomes with their patients."

To visit the site, go to www.PrescribeResponsibly.com.

Contributing authors of the site are Howard Heit, MD, Steven Passik, PhD, Keith Candiotti, MD, Kenneth Kirsh, PhD, and Doug Gourlay, MD, MSc. Biographies on all of the authors can be found on the Web site. The authors are consultants to PriCara^® and were compensated for the content they contributed.

PriCara,^® Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is the sponsor of PrescribeResponsibly.com.

PrescribeResponsibly.com is intended for healthcare professionals. It is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other healthcare professional relative to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient's medical condition.

PriCara,^® Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

PriCara,^® Division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., is a major healthcare company in the United States dedicated to the needs of primary care providers who serve a vital role on the frontline of medicine. For more information about the company, please visit www.PriCara.com.

SOURCE PriCara