MullenLowe, ALEVE, Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse Get On Video Call To Tell "The Painful Truth" 

While opioid dispensing rates in the U.S. are slowly ticking down, they remain elevated compared with rates in other countries. The U.S. makes up only 4.4% of the world’s population, but it consumes over 80% of the world’s opioids. Luckily, consumers today have more options than ever before for powerful, nonaddictive pain relief as they navigate their unique positions on the overall pain spectrum, including but not limited to OTC medications, physical therapy, medication and chiropractic care.

Towards that end, ALEVE and Mothers Against Prescription Drug Abuse (MAPDA) teamed with agency MullenLowe on “The Painful Truth” campaign which launches with this three-minute film featuring real pain sufferers who are at crossroads and seeking guidance. They get on a video call with a pain expert, Matt Robinson, who we find out has first-hand experience, having taken a life’s journey from addiction to advocacy. The film was directed by Simon Brand via production company Ladoble. 

“Two big contributing factors to opioid use disorder are lack of education around the potential negative consequences of opioid use and the enduring stigma around addiction. Many of us believe this could never happen to us or someone we love, and that often prevents patients from exploring options for pain relief,” said Mary Bono, co-founder, chair of the board of directors and CEO of MAPDA. “At MAPDA, we encourage people to engage in the vital conversations around drug impacts, and we are so proud to partner with ALEVE on ‘The Painful Truth’ to shine a spotlight on that moment when patients should actively engage about their care and explore all viable options.”