Federal Campaigns > Pain & Palliative Care
Pain & Palliative Care
ACS CAN Fights for Better Pain Care
Pain is one of the most common symptoms associated with cancer. Cancer pain can devastate a patient's quality of life, affecting all aspects of daily functioning — eating, sleeping, working and taking care of family. That is why ACS CAN is leading the charge to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and survivors by supporting the National Pain Care Policy Act.
Pain associated with cancer can almost always be relieved by proper treatment. Yet cancer patients often face significant barriers that can prevent proper assessment, diagnosis and treatment of their pain.
Barriers to effective pain treatment can include:
- Few health care professionals are trained adequately in pain management.
- Patients are often not aware they can and should ask for pain treatment
- Certain population groups, including the elderly, women, African-Americans and Hispanics, are much more likely to be under-treated for pain.
The National Pain Care Policy Act
The National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009 (H.R. 756) has been introduced in the House of Representatives by Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-CA) and Congressman Mike Rogers (R-MI). This bill will address the barriers to proper pain management by improving pain care research, education and outreach. Specifically, H.R. 756 will:
- Educate doctors and other health care professionals about how to best diagnose, treat and manage pain safely
- Raise awareness among patients and their families about the necessity of seeking proper pain management
- Improve coordination of pain research at the U.S. Institute of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
On March 30, 2009, H.R. 756 was voted on and approved by the House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support. Attention now turns to the Senate, where is S. 660 is currently before the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Keep checking this website for updates!
Additional Resources
Report Highlights Need for Increased and Enhanced Emphasis on Chronic Pain Management
