Oct. 17, 2016 – In a recent guest commentary in PM360, Coalition for Healthcare Communication Executive Director John Kamp praised Pfizer for its opioid agreement with the City of Chicago and called on the pharmaceuticals industry to engage now in the fight to help stem the tide of opioid addiction.

In the PM360 piece, “In Crisis: Opioids, Pain, and Patients,” Kamp states that “It’s time for the pharma marketing industry to step up, lend its expertise, and become part of the solution. It’s not just about following regulations – it’s about self-regulation and professional responsibility.”

Kamp noted that although critics might argue that Pfizer agreed to take certain positive actions to help curtail opioid abuse to avoid being added to a false advertising lawsuit brought by the City of Chicago,  the company “should be applauded – and others would do well to follow suit.” Kamp highlighted several of Pfizer’s actions beyond following the law, such as including a serious risk of addiction disclosure in marketing materials, and maintaining an unbranded Website both to educate health care practitioners on opioid addiction signs and to stress that opioids not be a first-line treatment for pain.

To read the full article, go to: https://www.pm360online.com/in-crisis-opioids-pain-and-patients