THE Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee

Ever hear of the IPRCC.  Wasn't it Bill Clinton who is often quoted, or miss quoted as saying, "I feel your pain."  Well Obamacare is doing something about it.  Yep, the Affordable Health Care Act has allowed the formation of another Federal Committee to summarize research, identify gaps, and make recommendations.  Let's all get together and sing Kubia.

From: http://iprcc.nih.gov/healthcare-act-provisions.htm

IPRCC Healthcare Act Provisions

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) (Public Law 111-148) provisions related to the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee are as follows:

1. Establishment - The Secretary shall establish not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section and as necessary maintain a committee, to be known as the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (in this section referred to as the 'Committee'), to coordinate all efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services and other Federal agencies that relate to pain research.
2. Membership -
   
   1. In general.--The Committee shall be composed of the following voting members: (i) Not more than 7 voting Federal representatives appoint by the Secretary from agencies that conduct pain care research and treatment. (ii) 12 additional voting members appointed under subparagraph (B).
   2. Additional members.--The Committee shall include additional voting members appointed by the Secretary as follows: (i) 6 non-Federal members shall be appointed from among scientists, physicians, and other health professionals. (ii) 6 members shall be appointed from members of the general public, who are representatives of leading research, advocacy, and service organizations for individuals with pain- related conditions.
   3. Nonvoting members.--The Committee shall include such nonvoting members as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
3. Chairperson - The voting members of the Committee shall select a chairperson from among such members. The selection of a chairperson shall be subject to the approval of the Director of NIH.
4. Meetings - The Committee shall meet at the call of the chairperson of the Committee or upon the request of the Director of NIH, but in no case less often than once each year.
5. Duties - The Committee shall-
   
   1. develop a summary of advances in pain care research supported or conducted by the Federal agencies relevant to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of pain and diseases and disorders associated with pain;
   2. identify critical gaps in basic and clinical research on the symptoms and causes of pain;
   3. make recommendations to ensure that the activities of the National Institutes of Health and other Federal agencies are free of unnecessary duplication of effort;
   4. make recommendations on how best to disseminate information on pain care; and
   5. make recommendations on how to expand partnerships between public entities and private entities to expand collaborative, cross-cutting research.
6. Review - The Secretary shall review the necessity of the Committee at least once every 2 years.

Full text of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148).

Second Meeting of the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee

NIH Campus

Building 31—6th Floor, Conference Room 10

Bethesda, Maryland

October 22, 2012