Joshua Prager, MD, MS - Bio

Joshua P. Prager, MD, MS, is NTAC's founding Chair. In 2007, Joshua saw a need for a collaboration of physicians, consumer advocates and manufacturers working together to help ensure appropriate access to neuromodulation therapies. Through his vision and leadership, NTAC was formed.

Joshua is also past prresident of the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS). He is the Director of the California Pain Medicine Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he is a member of the Departments of Internal Medicine and Anesthesiology.

Dr. Prager completed his premedical education at Harvard University, in Cambridge, Massachusetts while a graduate student in Public Policy, Planning, and Administration. He proceeded to Stanford University, in Stanford, California, where he received his medical degree and also attended the Graduate School of Business, receiving a master's degree in Management/Health Services Research. He received his postgraduate medical training at UCLA (internal medicine internship and residency), Stanford (anesthesiology residency), and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) at the Harvard Medical School (resident and clinical fellow in anesthesia).He began his academic career on the faculty at MGH. He is board certified by the American Board of Pain Medicine, the American Board of Internal Medicine, and the American Board of Anesthesiology with a subspecialty certification in Pain Medicine.

Using a combination of his business and medical training, Dr. Prager managed approximately 500,000 patient lives at CIGNA Health Plans and founded their multimodality pain program. He then directed the UCLA Pain Medicine Center until he established the California Pain Medicine Centers. His clinical and research practice focuses on complex regional pain syndromes and neuromodulation. He has participated in numerous studies related to spinal cord stimulation, intrathecal medications (including ziconotide), patient programming and has conducted research related to several opioids, high dose capsaicin, and tumor necrosis factor for treatment of complex regional pain syndromes.

Dr. Prager feels that public service is an important component of his career. He helped establish or reorganize several inner city health centers, provided internal medicine care at the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, and provided anesthesia for third world children with congenital anomalies undergoing corrective surgery. He has held numerous positions with medical organizations and ia national advocate and spokesperson for appropriate patient access to neuromodulation therapies.