[1] Around the time of Purdue Pharma releasing OxyContin into the market in 1996, the society introduced "pain as 5th vital sign" campaign.
[3][4] In June 2019, the APS was forced to close amid allegations that it colluded with pharmaceutical companies producing opioids.
[1] The APS claimed that the reason for the bankruptcy was the numerous legal expenses which resulted from lawsuits claiming the organization was acting as a front group for opioid drugmakers.
[5] The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that several former APS members are organizing a new society called the U.S. Association for the Study of Pain.
[6] Together with The Analgesic, Anesthetic, and Addiction Clinical Trial Translations Innovations Opportunities and Networks (ACTTION) partnership with the FDA, the APS developed the ACTTION-APS Pain Taxonomy (AAPT) to provide a consistent diagnostic system for chronic pain disorders.