pain as 5th vital sign

here is a comment from brenda sirovich:

 i suspect you know that there is considerable agreement that the 'Pain is the 5th Vital Sign' campaign was an extraordinarily successful industry-funded marketing campaign . . .  (If not, see, for example:
http://www.thepoisonreview.com/2012/12/16/the-money-and-influence-behind-pain-as-a-fifth-vital-sign/ )

also, i will send around this email again (i sent it out  october 2012, after a series of several emails on the shenanigans of big pharma):

and speaking of shenanigans.....
 
poignant article in the boston phoenix on opioids.  perspective is that from 2002-2007, 78 massachusetts soldiers died in afghanistan. at same time >3200 died from opiate-related overdoses. now vast majority of opioid deaths iin US are from prescription drugs.  this article is quite good in showing how Big Pharma (eg, Purdue, with oxycontin) misled providers consistently over years, emphasizing the need to treat pain (reflecting Institute of Medicine directive to improve pain management) while lying about addictive potential and orchestrating a marketing campaign leading to our current situation.  see: http://thephoenix.com/Boston/news/145950-prescription-opioids-have-wreaked-havoc-on-the-bay/

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