Latest News Archives - Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine

Stanford Pediatric Pain Team Featured in the Pediatric Pain Letter

The Pediatric Pain Letter is published three times a year (February, June, and October) and serves as an important platform for advancing pediatric pain research and practice.

The October 2025 issue of the Pediatric Pain Letter (Vol. 27, No. 3) features members of the Stanford pediatric pain team. This open-access publication provides peer-reviewed commentaries on research and innovations in pediatric pain management. Highlights of this issue include:

“Prehab” — Protocol for a structured educational program delivered prior to intensive interdisciplinary pain treatment
Family Engagement with a Pediatric Chronic Pain Service

Read the full issue here: https://pediatric-pain-letter.org/

National Prescription Fall Take Back Day Announced

On October 25, 2025, the DEA and its federal partners will team up for the 29th bi-annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to remove unused, unwanted medications from homes and medicine cabinets to prevent drug misuse before it starts.

Check the Take Back Day website for more information as it becomes available.

Opioid Overdose Deaths Decline, Prescribing Trends Improve

The American Medical Association (AMA) reports encouraging progress: U.S. opioid overdose deaths dropped by nearly 27% between 2023 and 2024. At the same time, prescription opioid misuse has continued to decrease nationwide, with opioid prescribing down by more than 50% since 2012.

SPPM leadership, including Dr. Rita Agarwal and Dr. Robert Wilder, and have been at the forefront of this effort, helping practitioners navigate the balance between pain care and opioid safety. As authors of the 2024–2025 American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Practice Guideline, they and their colleagues produced the first national recommendations for acute pain management tailored for children and adolescents in outpatient settings. This work delivered updated, evidence-based guidance on pediatric opioid prescribing, underscoring how pediatric pain specialists are driving safe best practices.

The AMA update also highlights:

Polysubstance use remains high, with fentanyl and stimulants combined in nearly half of overdose deaths.
Emerging substances such as xylazine, tianeptine, and nitrous oxide misuse pose new public health threats.
State-level policy should move away from rigid prescribing limits and toward individualized, patient-centered care.

Though not strictly “pediatric pain,” the overdose epidemic represents the flip side of our work: ensuring that efforts to relieve suffering do not inadvertently fuel addiction or harm.

Full AMA Brief: Read here

September is Pain Awareness Month

This September, the Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine joins colleagues worldwide in recognizing Pain Awareness Month. Our members remain dedicated to advancing education, research, and advocacy in pediatric pain care. From coast to coast and across international borders, SPPM leaders are working together to ensure that every child’s fundamental right to live free from pain is upheld. Through collaborative efforts, we continue to promote best practices and innovative solutions that improve the lives of children and families.

Call for Applications – SPPM Innovative Research Award

Up to $2,000 is available as a one-time award to Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine members. The award is designed to help SPPM members create an innovative research program for pediatric pain medicine related patient care or for the wellbeing of SPPM members.

Submission deadline: November 30, 2025

Eligibility: Current Members of the Society for Pediatric Pain Medicine

Award: Awards will be made on the basis of a competitive application process. It is an opportunity for SPPM members to establish innovative research programs for pediatric pain medicine related patient care or for the wellbeing of SPPM members.

Proposal Submission and Review: Questions regarding the application process and administrative issues should be directed to Jenny Patterson in the SPPM office. Proposals will be evaluated and ranked by the SPPM Research Committee. Selection criteria for the award will include the quality of the project, the extent the opportunity will contribute to the advancement of the health and welfare of pediatric patients or SPPM members. The project must be completed within one year.

Office of Sponsored Programs Proposal Summary and Approval Form
Awardees only will need to submit a Proposal Summary and Approval Form to the Office of Sponsored Programs following notification.

Final Report
We plan to invite the awardee to deliver an oral presentation to the SPPM members during the SPPM Annual Meeting. A final report summarizing accomplishments will be submitted one month prior to the SPPM Annual Meeting. The requirements for the final report will be determined by the Committee and will be based on the proposal.

Click here to access the full application and additional instructions.

Submission deadline: November 30, 2025

COMPLETED APPLICATIONS (PDF) SHOULD BE SENT TO [email protected].

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Stanford Pediatric Pain Team Featured in the Pediatric Pain Letter

National Prescription Fall Take Back Day Announced

Opioid Overdose Deaths Decline, Prescribing Trends Improve

September is Pain Awareness Month

Call for Applications – SPPM Innovative Research Award

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