The Full Text of the Bill
108th CONGRESS 1st Session
H.R. 1863
To declare adequate pain care reseach, education, and teatment as national public health priorites, and other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OD REPRESENTATIVES
April 29, 2003
Mr. ROGER of Michigan introduces the following bill; which was refrred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in additon to the Committees on Ways and Mean, Armed Services, and Verterans' Affairs, fro a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such positions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To declare adequate pain care research, education, and treatment as national public health priorities, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representives of teh United States of America in COngress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) SHORT TITLE- This act be cited as the "National Pain Care Policy Act of 2003"
Sec. 1. Short Title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. White House Conference on Pain Care.
Sec. 3. National Center for Pain and Palliative Care Research.
Sec. 4. Pain care education and training.
Sec. 5. Public awareness campaign on pain management.
Sec. 6. Pain care initiative in military health care facilities.
Sec. 7. Paincare standards in Medicare+Choices plans
Sec. 8. Pain care standards in TRICARE plans.
Sec. 9. Annual report on Medicare expenditures for pain care services.
Sec. 10. Pin care initiative in veterans health care ----facilities.
SEC. 2. WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON PAIN CARE.
(a) CONVENING- Not later than June 30, 2004, the President shall concene a conference to be known as the White House Conference on Pain Care (in the section referred to as the "Conference").
(b) PURPOSE- The purposes of the Conference shall be to--
(1) increase the recongnition of pain as a significant public health problem in the United States;
(2) assess the adequacy of diagnosis and reatment for primary an secondary pain , including acute, chronic, intractable, and end-of-life pain;
(3) identify barriers to appropriate pain care, including--
(A) lack of understanding and education among patients, providing, reglators, and third-party payors;
(B) barriers to access to care at teh primary, specialy, and tertiary care levels; and
(C) gaps in basic and clinical research on the symptoms and causes of, and potential treatments to improve, pain care; and
(4) establish an agenda for action in both the public and private sectors that will reduce such barriers and significantly improve the state of pain care research, education, and clinical care in the United States by 2010.
(c) CHAIR- The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall serve as the chair of the Conference.
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS- For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as shall be necessary for fiscal year 2006.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL CENTER FOR PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE RESEARCH.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT- Section 401(b)(2) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.(b)(2)) is amende by adding at the end the following:
(H) The National Center for Pain and Palliative Care Research.
(b) OPERATION- Part E of title IV of teh Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 287 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
Subpart 7--National Center for Pain Palliative Care Research
SEC. 4851. ESTABLISHMENT.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT- The Secretay shall establish within the National Insitutes of Health a center to be known as teh National Center for Paon and Palliateve Care Research (referred to in the subpart as the "Center")
(b) DIRECTOR-
The Center shall be headed by a Director (referred to in this subpart as the "Director of the Center"), who shall be appointed by teh Director of NIH after consultation with experts in the fields of pain an dpalliative care research and treatment.
(c) POWERS OF SECRETARY AND DIRECTIOR- For purposes of section 405, the Center shall be treated as a national research institute.
(d) GENERAL PURPOSES- The general purposes of the Center are--
(1)to improve the quality of life of individuals suffering from pain by fostering clinical and basic science research into the biology of pain and the causes of and effective treatments for pain;
(2) to establish a national agenda for conducting and supprtin pain and palliatve care research in the specific categories described in paragraphs (3) and (4);
(3)
to identify, coordinate, and support research, research training, and related activites (including the development of new and the refinement of existing treatments) with respect to both primary and secondary pain, including--
(A) acute pain;
(B) cancer
and HIV-related pain, particularly at teh end of life;
(C) back pain, headache pain, and other chronic and intractable pain; and
(D) other painful conditions;
(4) to identify, coordinate, and suppost research, research training, and related activities with respect to palliative care;
(5) to conduct and support pain and palliative care research, research training, and related activities that have been identified as requiring additional, special priority as determined appropriate b teh Director of the Center and the Advisory Bord established under subsection (e);
(6) to coordinate all pain and palliative care research, research training, and related activities being carried out among the national research insitutes or in any such institute;
(7) to ensure the prompt and effective dissemination of current and future research to improve patien acess to and provide delivery o fpain and palliative care;
(8) to initiate a comprehensive program of collaborative interdisciplinary research among schools, colleges, and universities, including schools of medicine, and osteopathy, school of pharmacy and pharmacology, schools of nursing, schools of dentistry, school of physical therapy, schools of occupational therapy, and schools of clinical psychology, comprehensice health care centers and systems, and specialized centers of pain research or treatment; and
(9) to report not less than annually on the state of public and private funding for pain and palliative care research and the adequacy of such funding, taking into account the specific categories described in paragraphs (3) and (4).
(e) ADVISORY COUNCIL
(1) IN GENERAL-The Center shall hav ean advisory council to be known as the National Pain and Palliative Care Research Center Advisory Board (in this section referred to as the "Advisory Board").
(2) MEMBERSHIP- The Advisory Board shall be established and maintained in accordance with section 406, expect that--
(A) the appointed voting members shall include--
(i) representatives of teh broad reange of medical, health, and scientific disciplines invoved in research and treatment related to the categories of pain and palliatve care described in paagraphs (3) and (4) of subsetions (d), including individuals with expertise and training in pain medicine, clinicla psychology, physical medicine, and rehabilitiative services (including physical therapy and occupational theapy), pharmacy and pharmacology, nursing, and dentistry; and
(ii) representatives of painful patients; and
(B) the nonvoting ex officio members shall include--
(i) the Director of teh National Cancer Institue;
(ii) the Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research;
(iii) the Director of the National Insitute of Child Health and Human Development;
(iv) the Director of the National Instiute of Nursing Research;
(v) the Director of the National Instiute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases;
(vi) the Director of the National Instiute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases;
(vii) the Director of the National Instiute of Mental Health;
(viii) the Director of the National Instiute of Neurological Disorder and Stroke;
(ix) the Director of the National Instiute on Drug Abuse;
(x) the Director of the National Instiute on Disiablitity and Rehabilitaion Research;
(xi) the Director of the National Instiute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering; and
(xii) the Director of the National Instiute Bioethics Advisory Commission.
(3) DUTIES- The Advisory Board shall adcise, assist, consult with, and make recommendations to the Director of the Center regarding the matters setforth in suestion (d0, including coordinatin, research, funding, and purposes.
(f) ESTABLISHMENT OD REFIONAL PAIN RESEARCH CENTERS
(1) ESTABLISHMENT- To facilitate and enhance the research, research training, and related activitise to be carried out by the Center, the Advisory Board, shall establish not less than 6 regional pain research centers, which shall operate as part of the Center.
(2) FOCUS AND DISTRIBUTION-
(A) FOCUS- Not less than 4 of the regional center establlished under paragraph (1) shall have as their primary focus 1 of teh categories of pain described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of subsection (d)(3).
(B) DISTRIBUTION- One regional pain research center shall be established in each of the following regions of the United States (as such regions are determined by the Director of teh Center):
(i) The Northwest region.
(ii) The Southeast region.
(iii) The Midwest region.
(iv) The Southwest region.
(v) The West region, including Hawaii.
(vi) The Pacific Northwest region, including Alaska.
(3) SELECTION- The regional centers shall be selected through a competitive process from among institutions and centers of the type described in subsection (d)(8).
(g) ANNUAL CONSENSUS CONFERENCE ON PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE RESEARCH- To assist the Center in the establishment and maintenance of a nnatinal agenda for pain and palliatve care research, and to ensure that the Center remains abreast of research and clinical development in both the public and private sectors, teh Director of the Center shall convene each year a consensus conference of prominent researchers and cliniclans in the field of pain and palliative care research and treatment.
(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
(1) IN GENERAL- For the purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be nesary for fiscal year 2006 and each subsequent fiscal year.
(2) REGIONAL CENTERS- Of the amount appropriated under paragraph (1) for fiscal year 2005 and each subsequent fiscal year, not less than $1,500,000 shall be made available to each of the regional centers established under subsection (f).
SEC. 4 PAIN CARE EDUCATION AND TRINING.
(a) PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY- Part A of title IX of the Public Healthe Service Act (42 U.S.C. 299 et seq.) is amended by adding at teh end the following:
SEC. 904. PROGRAM FOR PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE RESEARCH AND QUALITY.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Director shall carry out a program to--
(1) develop and adcance the quality, appropriateness, and effectiveness of pain and palliative care; and
(2) collect and disseminate protocols and ecidence-based paractices regarding pain and pa;;iateve care, including pain caer for terminally ill patients, and make such information available to Federal, State, and local regulatory and enforcement agancies, public and private health care programs, payors an dproviders, health professions school, hospices, and the general public.
(b) DEFINITIONS- For purposses of this section:
(1) The term "palliative care" means the comprehensice active, total care of aptients whose disease or medical condition is not resposive to curatve treatmetn or whose prognosis is limited due to progressive, far-adcanced diease. Palliative care includes tratment to reduce or alleciate pain and other distressing signs and symptoms. The purpose of such care is to eliminate, alleviate, or manage the patient's pain and suffering and thereby enhance the quality of life.
(2) The term "pain care" means the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, and management of primary and secondary pain, whether acute, chronic, persistent, intractable, or associated with the end of life.
(b) EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE- Part D of title VII of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by redesignating sectons 754 throgh 757 as a sections 755 through 758, respectively; and
(2) by inserting after section 753 the following:
SEC. 754. PROGRAM FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE.
(a) IN GENERAL- The Secretary, in consultation with the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, may make awards of grants, cooperatve agreements, and contracts to health care professionals in pain and palliative care.
(b) PRIORTIES- In making awards under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give priority to awards for the implementaiton of programs under such subsection.
(c) CERTAIN TOPICS-An award may be made under subsection (a) only if the applican fot the award agrees that the program carried out with the award will include information and education on--
(1) professionally recognized means for diagnosing and treating pain and related signs and symptoms, inclding the medically appropriate use of controlled substances;
(2) applicable laws on controlled substances, inclding the degree to which misconceptions concerning such laws or the enforcement thereof may create barriers to patient access to appropriate and effective pain care;
(3) comprehensice interdisiplinary approaches to the delivery of pain and palliative care, including delivery through specialized centers of pain care treatment expertise; and
(4) recent findings, developments, and improvements iin the provision of pain and palliatve care.
(d) PROGRAM SITES- Education and taining under subsection (a) may be provided at or through health pofessions schools, residency training programs, and pther graduate programs in the health professions, entities that provide continuin gmedical and pharmacy education, hospices, and such other programs or sites at the Secretary determins to be appropriate.
(e) EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS- The Secretary shall (directly or through grants or contracts) probide for the evaluation of prgrams implemented under subsection (a) in order to determine the effect of such programs on knowledge and pracive regarding pain and palliative care.
(f) PEER REVIEW GROUPS- In carrying out sectinj 799(f) with respect to this seciton, the Secretary shall ensure that the memebership of each peer review group involved includes individuals iwth expertise and experenve in pain and palliative care.
(g) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this section:
(1) The term "palliative care" means the comprehensive active, total care of patients whose disease or medical condition is not responsive to curative treatment or whose prognosis is limited due to progressive, far-adcanced disease. Palliative care includes treatment to reduce or alleciate pain and other distressing signs and symptoms. The purpose os such care is to eliminate, alleviate, or manage the patient's pain and suffering and thereby enhance the quality of life.
(2) The term "pain care" means the evaluatin, diagnosis, treatment, an dmanagement of primary and secondary pain, where acute, chronic, persistent, intractable, or associated with the end of life.
(c) AUTHORIATION OF APPROPIATIONS- Section 758 of the Public Health Service Act (as redesignated by subsection (a)(1) of this section) is amended in subsection (b)(1)(C)--
(1) by striking "sections 753, 754, and 755" and inserting "sections 753, 755, and 756"; and
(2) by striking "$22,631,000" and inserting "$37,631,000".
(d) TECHINCAL AMENDMENT- Paragraph (2) of section 757(b) of the Public Health Services Act (as redesignated by subsection (a)(1)) is amended by striking "754(3)(A), and 755(b)" and inserting "755(3)(A), and 756(b)".
SEC.5 PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON PAIN MANAGEMENT.
Part B of title II of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 238 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
NATIONAL EDUCATION OUTREACH AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN ON PAIN MANAGEMENT
SEC. 249. (a) ESTABLISHMENT- Not later than June, 30, 2006, the Secretary shall establish and imlement a national educatin outreach and awareness campaign described in subsection (b) to provide informaiton to the public on responsible pain management, related syptom management, and palliative care.
(b) REQUIREMENTS- The Secretary shall design the public awareness campaign under this section to educate consumers, patients, their families, and other caregivers with respect to--
(1) the incidence and imprtance of pain as a national public health problem;
(2) the advese physical, psycvhological, and financial consequences that can result if pain is not appropriately diagnosed or treated;
(3) the availability, benefits, and risks of all aoin management and palliative care treatment opitions;
(4) the right of patients to have their pain promptly assessed, appropriately treated, and regularly reassessed, and to have their treatment adjusted if needed;
(5) the availability in the public, non-profit, and private sectors of pain management-related informaitn, services and resources for consumers, patients, their families, and other caregives, including informaiton on--
(i) appropriate assessment, diagnosis and treatment options for all types of pain and pain-related symptoms; and
(ii) conditions for which no widely accepted treatment options are yet available; and
(6) other issues the Secretary deems appropriate.
(c) COORDINATION-
(1) LEAD OFFICIAL- The Srcretary shall designate one official in teh Department of Health and Human Services to oversee the campaign established under this section.
(2) AGENCY COORDINATION- The Secretary shall ensure the invovement in the public awarnes campaign under this section of teh Surgeon General of the Public Health Sercice, teh Director of the Cnters for Disease aControl and Prevention, and such other representatives of offices and agencies of the Department of Health and Human Sercices as the Secrtary determines appropriate.
(d) UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS- In designing the public awarness campaing under this seciton, the Secretary shall take into accound the need to reach underserved populations who are disproprtionately under-treated for pain.
(e) GRANTS AND CONTRACKTS- The Secretay may make awards of grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts to public agencies and private non-profit rgaization to assist with the development and implementation of the public awarness camaign under this section.
(f) AUTHORIZTION OF APPOPRRIATIONS- For purposes of carrying out this section, ther are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2006, 2007, and 2008.
SEC. 6. PAIN CARE INITIATIVE IN MILITARY HEALTH CARE FACILITIES.
(a) REQUIREMENT- Chapter 55 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
Sec. 1111. Pain care
The administerng Secretaries shall develop and implement a pain caer initiative in all health care facilities of the uniformed services. Implementation shall occur later than January 1, 2006, in the case of inpatient care, and January 1, 2007, in the case of putpatient care. The initiatve shall be designed to ensure that all member of the uniformed services and their dependents receiving treatment in helath care facilities of teh uniformed services--
(1) are assessed for pian at the time of admission or intital treatment, and periodically thereagter using a professionally recognized pain assessment tool or process; and
(2) receive appropriate pain care consistent with recognied guidelines and practice parameters for the assessment and teatment of prmary and secondary pain, including acute, chronic, and intractable pain.
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT- The table of sections at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at eh end the following new item.
"1111 Pain care".
SEC. 7. PAIN CARE STANDARDS IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE PLANS.
(a) IN GENERAL- Sectiion 1852(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-22(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
(6) PAIN CARE STANDARDS-
(A) IN GENERAL- Each Medicare Adcantage organization shall provide appropriate care for the treatment of patients in pain that --
(i) is consistent with recognized guidelines and paractice parameters for the assessment and teratment of primary and secondary pain, including acute, chronic, and intractable pain;
(ii) includes evaluation and treatment of illnesses that frequently accompany serious pain, including depression, other mental healthdisorder, sleep disturbance and substance abuse;
(iii) provides medical and other health services through physicians and ther practitioners credentialed or experienced in pain medicine;
(iv) provides for referal of patients with chronic pain as defined in subparagraph (B)(i) to specialists, and, where appropriate, to a comprehensive multidisciplinary pain management program as defined in subparagraph (B)(ii);
(v) continues treatment for as long as treatment is required to maximize the quality of ife and fucitonal capacity of the patient; and
(vi) permits physicians and other practioners experienced or credentialed in pain medicine to make clinical decisions with respect to the need for and the extent and duration of pain care services.
(B) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this paragraph:
(i) CHRONIC PAIN- the term "chronic pain" means servere, persistent, or recurrent pain that interferes with teh activities of daily living, and has not been significantly reduced or ameliorated despite reasonble teratment efforts for a period of 6 months.
(ii) COMPREHENSIVE MULTIDISPLINARY PAIN MANAGEMENT PROGRAM- The term "comprehensive multidisciplinary pain management program" means an inpatient or outpaitent health care facility or program that--
(I) provides at least medical, nursing, mental health, and rehabibitaion serivces throght licesed health care professionals;
(II) provides or arranges for the provision of inpatient and outpaotient hospital and rehablitation facility services, drugs, devices, and other items and services required for the teatment of chronic pain;
(III) provides onging paient and professional educatin for pain management;
(IV) is accredited as a comprhensive pain management program by an accrediting orgaization approved by teh Secretay, including the Joint Commission on the Accrediton of Health Car Opragizaions or the Rehabilitaion Accreditiation Commission; and
(V) is directed by 1 or more physicians credentialed in pain medicine, or, where appropriate, dentistry, byu a board or boards approved by teh secretay, wehich shall include the American Board of Pain Medicine and boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialists.
(C) COMPLIANCE_ A Medicare Advantage organization may comply with the requirements set forth in this paragraph by providing care through its own network of participatin gproviders, or under arrangement with out-of-network providers, but in no event may an orgaiation impsoe higher cosets on its enrollees in the form of defuctibles, copayments, premiums, or otehreise in the eent apppropriate pain care in accordance with the standards set forth in thins parargraph is provided out-of-network.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendemnt made by subsection (a) shall apply to contracts with Medicare+Choice organizaiton as of January 1, 2006.
SEC. 8. PAIN CARE STAANDARDS IN TRICAE PLANS.
(a) IN GENERAL- Section 1097 of title 10, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
(f) PIN CARE STANDARDS-
(1) IN GENERAL- Any health care services provided pursuant to any contract entered into under this seciton shall include the provision of appripriate care for the teratment of patients in pain that--
(A) is consistent with recognized guidelines and practice parameters for the assessment and treatment of primary and secondary pain, including, acute, chronic , and intractable pain;
(B) includes evaluation and treatment of illness that frequently accompany serious pain, including depression, other mental health disorders, sleep disturbance, and substance abuse;
(C) provides medical and other health services through physicians and other practitioners credentialed or experienced in pain medicine;
(D) provides from referral of patients with chronic pain to specialists, and , where appropriate, to a comprehensive multidisciplinary pain management progam;
(E) continues treatment for as long as treatment is required to maximize the quality of life and functional capacity of the patient; and
(F)permits physicans and other practitioners experienced or credentialed in pain medicine to make clinical decisions with respect to the need for and the extent and duration of pain care services.
(2) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this subsection--
(A) The term "chronic pain" means severe, persistent, or recurrent pain that interferes with the activities of daily living, an dhas not been significantly reduced or ameliorated despite reasonable treatment efforts for a period of 6 months.
(B) The term "comprehensive multidisciplinary pain management program" means an inpatient or outpatient health care facility or program that--
(i) provides at least medical, nursing, mental health, ad rehabilitation services through licensed health care professionals;
(ii) provides or arranges for the provision of inpatien and outpatient hospital and rehabilitation facility services, drugs, devices, and other items and services required for the treatment of chronic pain;
(iii) provides ongoing patient and professional educatio for pin management;
(iv) is accredited as a comprhensive pain management program by an avcvrediting organization approved by the sectetary, including the joint Commisson on the Accreditation of Health Care Organizations or the Rehabilitation Accreditation Commission; and
(v) is directed by 1 or more physicians credentialed i pain medicine, or, where appropriate, dentisrty, by a board or boards approved by the Seretary, which shall include the American Board of Pain Medicine and boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialists.
(3) COMPLIANCE- A contractor may comply with the requirements set forth in this subsection by providing care through its own network of participating providers, or under arrangement with out-of-network providers, but in no event may a contractor impose higher costs on its enrollees in the form of deductibles, copqyments, premiums, or otherwise in the event appropriate pain care in accordance with the standards set forth in this subsection is privided out of network.
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to contracts as of January 1, 2006.
SEC. 9. ANNUAL REPORT ON MEDICARE EXPENDITURES FOR PAIN CARE SERVICES.
Not later than December 31, 2006, an dannuyally thereafter, the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services shall prepare and submid to the Congress a report on medicare expenditures for pain care during the preceding fiscal year. The report shall include the following:
(1) An estimate of total payments made under part B of the medicare program to physicians specializing in pain medicine.
(2) An estimate of payments made under such part B to other provviders and suppliers for the provision of pain care items and services.
(3) An estimate of expenditures made under part A of the medicare program for the diagnosis and treatment of pain of inpatients, and an estimate of the percentage of such care that relates to end-of-life care.
(4) An estimate of expendituresmade under part C of the medicare program for the privision of pain care items and services through the Medicare Advantage program.
(5) An estimate of out-of-pocket expenitures by medicare beneficiaries for both prescription and nonprescription pain medicaions not covered by the medicare program.
An analysis of trends in both medicare program and medicare beneficiary expenditures for pina care items and services.
SEC. 10. PAIN CARE INITIATIVE IN VETERANS HEALTH CARE FACILITIES.
(a) REQUIREMENT- Subchapter II of chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, is amended by adding at teh end the following new section:
Sec. 1720F. Pain care
The Secretary shall develop and implement a pain care initiative in all health care facilities of the Department. The initiative shall be designed to ensure that each individual receiving treatment i a health care facility under the jurisdiction of teh Secretary--
(1) is asessed for pain at the time of admission or initial treatment, and periodically thereafter, using a professionally recognized pain asessment tool or process; and
(2) receives appropriate pain care consistent with recognized guidelines and practice parameters for the diagnosis and treatment of primary and secondary-pain, including acute, chronic, and intrating to setion 1720E the following new item:
"1720F. Pain care."
(c) IMPLEMENTATION- The Secetary of Veterans Affiars shall implement the pain carer initiative required by section 1720F of title 38, United States Code, as added by subsection (a) not later than--
(1) January 1, 2006, in the case of inpatient care; and
(2) January 1, 2007, in the case of out patient care.
END
Americans Living With Pain Survey (2004)
This 2004 survey was conducted by Roper Public Affairs and Media, on behalf of the American Chronic Pain Assiciation (ACPA) with support from Endo Pharmaceuticals. The survey findings are based on 800 telphone interviews conducted with adults experiencing chronic pain in the United States.
The purpose of this survey was to ascertain:
How pain impacts the quality of life for people living with pain.
The extent of their communication with doctors.
Perceptions and use of various treatmetn options.
Key Findings:
Chronic pain is a serious health condition that some have been living with for a relatively long time and, in most cases, facing it daily.
Nearly one half of respondents say their pain is not undwer condtol- in particular, those whose pain is ever present, men, and facing it daily.
Among those who reproted having chroni pain, age does not play a significant role in reporting back pain - the most prevalent type of pain. Similar proportions of younger (56% of 18-34 year olds), middle (50% of 35-64 year olds) and loder (49% of 65+ year olds) report their back is wehre they feel the most pain.
Those with chronic pain experience difficulties on the job and their personal relationships suffer due to their conditions.
Chronic pain adversely affects quality of life for people with pain - both in terms of their day-to-day activites and their emotional well-being.
People's attitue toward their pain when it first develops is quite casual. Although, nearly half talk to a docto abot it within a month, mearly as many wait longer with a significan number waiting for over 3 months.
Those with chronic pain are just as likely to be talking an OTC medicatiuon as an Rx mediction; relatively few are only using alternative treatments.
Exclusive OTC usage is mainly a function of the nature of the user's pain, product performance, and financial considerations.
Nearly all of those with chronic pain trun to alternative treaments regardless of the medicatins they are using the nature of their pain. This would indicate that current Rx and OTC medications by themselves are not providing as much relief as desired or that such usage helps ease the financial burden of treatment.
Signifcant numbers of those with chronic pain have concerns about talking pan medications; their concerns range form potential side effectts, the medication being addicitve, the need for increased usage over time and the possibility of having to take them for the rest of thire lives. Such concerns are higher among women and those who are not exclsive Rx users and vary based on the age of the individial.
There is hesitancy to take a narcotic pain reliever among a significant number of those currently taking a Rx medication for their pain, especially among women and those taking OTC medication along with their presecription medication.
Those using both Rx and OTC medication for their pain are more likely to be experiencing side effect from the medicaton than exclusive Rx users. This dual treatment may be requried, since the pain beign treated this way affects a wider range of everyday acvtivities and relationships with other people than the pain being treated differently.
Other factors affectign treatment include the high incidence of taking Rx medication for the health conditions, the belief or possiblity that their access to Rx pain medication might be more difficult in the future, as well as currently not getting theri Rx prescriptions filled due to finvancial consideratins, especially among those with ever present pain.
Most of those with chronci pain do not knkow if a perscription patch product can provide the same amount of relief as a Rx oral pain medictation, primarily because they do not know enough about them and how they work.
Non-compliance is a major issue in talking Rx medication for pain, especially among those taking both Rx and Otc medications. Side effects and financial factors are the primary causes.
|
