Lexicon convenes roundtable on public policy gaps for chronic pain

Lexicon (LXRX) Pharmaceuticals hosted and participated in a roundtable discussion with experts to explore how to enhance current and future legislative and policy efforts to better meet the needs of Americans suffering from chronic pain. The perspectives of clinicians, patient advocacy groups, and individuals were shared during the half-day meeting conducted at the Biotechnology Innovation Organization headquarters in Washington, DC. According to the U.S. Pain Foundation, approximately 50 million Americans suffer from chronic pain and pain conditions cost as much as $635M yearly in direct health care costs, lost productivity and disability payments. Chronic pain can become a disease in and of itself, creating notable changes in the body, particularly the nervous system. The roundtable participants focused primarily on the Alternatives to PAIN Act, introduced earlier this year in both houses of Congress. The bill aims to provide greater access to non-opioid pain treatments under Medicare Part D, but currently only for those with acute or post-surgical pain. The roundtable discussed potential ways to include people suffering from chronic pain in important pieces of legislation, such as the Alternatives to PAIN Act. Lexicon plans to produce and distribute a White Paper on chronic pain and the outcomes of this week’s roundtable.