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Policy and News

The latest legislative and policy work regarding the management of pain in the SCD treatment space.

• CDC Issues Key Clarification on Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain
  Joint statement by the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Society of Hematology (ASH), ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) on guideline clarification by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force Report on Acute and Chronic Pain Management; SCD provisions can be found in the Special Populations section of the report
  • Infographic on Special Populations section
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  2020 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rate Announcement and Final Call Letter Fact Sheet, in which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommends beneficiaries with SCD be excluded from opioid safety edits
• ASH Statement on Opioid Use in Patients with Hematologic Diseases and Disorders
  ASH statement on potential adverse effects that policy changes could have on the administration of necessary and appropriate pain medicine for patients with hematologic conditions such as SCD, blood cancers, and other bleeding disorders

Clinical Resources

Resources to assist practitioners in providing excellent quality of care in the treatment of SCD.

• SCD Pocket Guides
  Evidence-based pocket guides developed by ASH to help practitioners improve the quality of care provided to patients with sickle cell disease
  • ASH Pocket Guide: Management of Acute Complications of SCD
  • ASH Pocket Guide: Health Maintenance and Management of Chronic Complications of SCD
  • Hydroxyurea and Transfusion Therapy for the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease
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  A series of free, web-based videos designed to supplement education in classical hematology for fellows, several of which focus on pain management
• ASH Consult-a-Colleague
  A service for ASH members that helps facilitate the exchange of information between hematologists and their peers on topics including SCD
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  Resources, such as , aimed at helping to improve emergency care of individuals with SCD created by the ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ College of Emergency Physicians' Emergency Department
• Sickle Cell Disease Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considerations and a Checklist
• CDC fact sheet on SCD Emergency Care for and

Articles

• Bridging the Gap Among Clinical Practice Guidelines for Pain Management in Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease

Questions?

If you have questions or comments regarding the information on this page, please contact Shantá Robertson, Manager, Sickle Cell Disease Programs at [email protected].