NEWSBRIEF: The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the "National Pain Care Policy Act of 2008," which was introduced by Senators Orin Hatch (R-UT) and Christopher Dodd (D-CT). The act now will go before the Senate.
If passed, the act would:
- Authorize an Institute of Medicine conference on pain care
- Create an interagency coordinating committee charged with identifying gaps in pain research
- Expand collaborative pain research across federal agencies and the private sector
- Provide for a grant program to improve health professionals' understanding of and ability to assess and treat pain
- Require the Secretary of Health & Human Services to develop and implement a national outreach and awareness campaign on the significance of pain as a public health problem.
Related Content: Read the American Pain Foundation news release in full; Top 10 Advocacy/Awareness Groups for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Well, i’m certainly glad to hear about this. Does this mean that physicians will begin to prescribe pain medications that will be effective again? They are all so concerned about addiction that it’s difficult to get pain relief. Maybe if I had meds. that provided relief from pain, I could discontinue the Lyrica (which causes so much of my cognitive issues.)
I have been going through this song and dance with fms for twenty years.Just today,reading the comment posted about Docs, being so concerned about addition that there is an aura of mistrust taking place,I would rather not take meds,but my life would not be much of one without pain meds to keep me going.I’ve had the trigger point injections,epidural,pain clinic,counseling,yoga,massage,classes etc.It is a combination of all the above,working with Doctors,diet,sleep.they are turning the table again,before it was’the majority of patients are not addicted like street people’to’you need to sign a contract to receive pain med,which is fine with me,but please do not lower my dignity by treating me like an addict.