An Interview with Susan Peschin and the Alliance for Aging Research

Susan Peschin, MHS, is president and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research

1. What is your organization’s interest in the Osteoarthritis Action Alliance (OAAA)?

   The Alliance for Aging Research is a leading non-profit dedicated to accelerating the pace of scientific discoveries and their application to vastly improve the universal human experience of aging and health.  Our goal is to advance innovation that supports the health care needs of older Americans and their caregivers, through targeted Federal advocacy and educational initiatives. Osteoarthritis (OA) affects over 30 million US adults, and older age is the greatest risk factor for OA. However, OA is not an inevitable consequence of growing old.  An improved mechanistic understanding of joint aging will likely reveal new therapeutic targets to slow or halt disease progression. The ability to slow progression of OA in older adults will have enormous public health implications given the aging of our population and the increase in other OA risk factors such as obesity.

   2.  What do you think is the most important issue today related to osteoarthritis?

   As a chronic disease, OA’s impact on severe joint pain, swelling, and stiffness can often lead to reduced function and disability, impairment of activities of daily living, and work restriction. Severe cases may require joint replacement surgery, particularly for knee or hip OA. These issues have significant quality of life implications for patients.

   Management of symptoms is often possible, but can be time-consuming for those still in the workforce, and for physical therapy and more formal programs, may not be covered by insurance. Additionally, efforts to prevent abuse of opioids in this country have had the unintended consequence of stigmatizing pain management, and limiting access to some pain management options for older adults. A critical part of osteoarthritis care is pain management.  While the focus on opioid abuse is essential, we also need to make sure our policies consider the needs of patients facing persistent pain.

   3. How does your organization’s work connect to issues in osteoarthritis?

   In addition to producing a Silver Book on persistent pain—outlining the leading data on the burden of pain and the value of innovation in reducing that burden—the Alliance has produced a number of other resources on persistent pain, including a survey of over-the-counter pain management.  The survey found that the daily incidence of pain is 37% in adults ages 60+, compared to 25% in 18-59 year olds. The survey also explored OTC behaviors, views on potential government action on dosage, and more. The Alliance is also active in two coalitions: Protecting Access to Pain Relief (PAPR) coalition and the Pain Care Forum.

   4. What is a headline you’d like to see about osteoarthritis in five years?

Researchers discover compound that targets aging-changes in the joints to slow the development and progression of OA.

5. What is one interesting fact you’d like people to know about your organization?

   While we do not fund research, the Alliance for Aging Research has led the effort to increase NIH aging research to reach its highest funding level ever.