Canadian Pain Task Force Meeting: November 14, 2019

15:00 – 17:00 EST

Via videoconference

Meeting Summary

Objectives

• Share updates on recent activities of the Task Force and Secretariat
• Provide update on regional workshop planning and themed discussions
• Obtain input and advice on the online consultation questionnaire

Participants

Welcome

• The Secretariat welcomed everyone and provided an overview of the meeting objectives and agenda.

Affiliations and interests

• No significant updates to Task Force members' affiliations or interests.

Health Canada Secretariat updates

• The Secretariat shared past meeting summaries (August 2019 and September 2019) with the Task Force for their review and approval.
• The Secretariat and Task Force discussed recent changes to the membership of the External Advisory Panel including:
  • Resignation from joint membership and panel duties of two Panel members and recommended replacement to backfill the positions.
  • Updated Panel member affiliations and interests.
• The Secretariat presented an overview of the Task Force's generic inbox correspondence summary. The summary highlighted data and themes of correspondence received from stakeholders.
• The Secretariat provided an update regarding senior leadership of Health Canada and the appointment of Dr. Stephen Lucas as Deputy Minister, as well as recent discussions with Health Canada leadership regarding pain and the Task Force.
• The Secretariat provided an update to the Task Force regarding a Health Canada media analysis project and related lexicon.
  • Task Force members commented on the lexicon and linkages between the use of opioids and chronic pain management.

Workshop and Themed Discussion Updates

• The Secretariat provided a recap of recent events and activities undertaken by various Task Force members including meeting with several associations and networks with an interest in pain.
• The Secretariat and Task Force members discussed completed regional workshops and engagement activities including the Task Force's Western regional workshop (October 2020) and the Panel and Discussion at the Family Medicine Forum (October 31, 2020). Task Force members also discussed upcoming engagement activities at the Issues of Substance Conference, hosted by the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addictions, the Quebec regional workshop, the Atlantic regional workshop, and the Canadian Arthritis Research Conference / Canadian Rheumatology Association Scientific Meeting & Arthritis Health Professions Association Meeting.

Update on the Online Public Consultation

• The Secretariat provided an update on the current status of the online consultation preparations.
• Task Force members provided recommendations and advice on the specifications of the consultations and adjustments, which should be made to content, layout, and dissemination planning.
• Task Force members established a preliminary piloting plan for the questionnaire.
• Task Force members noted the importance of designing questions to allow the capturing of input of people with lived/living experience of pain and those who care for them.