Wyden Presses Pain Management Group on Opioid Manufacturer Ties

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, asked a tax-exempt group for documents clarifying its relationship to opioid manufacturers.

In a March 12 letter, Wyden called on the American Academy of Pain Medicine to disclose any payments from opioid makers or medical device manufacturers, as well as further detail about its relationship with Purdue Pharma, which made a $24,600 payment to AAPM’s current president in 2017.

“As the federal government attempts to respond to one of the greatest public health crises in the last century, it is imperative to understand how the industry that distributes these powerful substances continues to shape the debate,” Wyden said. “I remain concerned that individuals with potential conflicts of interest are not adequately disclosing those ties to the federal government.”