U.S. Pain urges its members to participate in livestreams of two major events about pain policy at the federal level happening this May. The first is a meeting at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services entitled, “Implementation of the National Pain Strategy (NPS) Listening Session,” that will take place May 11 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm EST.

The event, which is being hosted by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will provide an update on efforts to implement the NPS, the nation’s first strategic plan for advancing pain management, and improving the quality of life for all 100 million Americans living with pain. While the NPS itself has been finalized with input from patient groups, including U.S. Pain Foundation, the next crucial step is obtaining funding from Congress to implement it. Advance registration for this event is required by May 5. To register, click here.

Later in the month, on May 31 and June 1, the NIH Pain Consortium will convene its 12th Annual Symposium, “Multidisciplinary Strategies for Pain,” at the NIH campus in Maryland. The 2017 symposium will highlight advances in pain research on prevention of chronic pain and multidisciplinary pain care. U.S. Pain Foundation’s National Director of Advocacy and Policy, Cindy Steinberg, will be speaking on the second day of the event at 8:50 am to provide a patient perspective. To learn more about the event or tune in to the livestream while it happens, visit the NIH Pain Consortium website.