World's Biggest Event On Pain Calls For Palliative Care To Be Made A Human Right

Main Category: Palliative Care / Hospice Care
Article Date: 19 Aug 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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The world's largest event on pain issues and pain management - the 12th World Congress on Pain opened in Glasgow today by calling for palliative pain relief to be made a human right.

Outgoing President Troels S. Jensen of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), the organisation behind the Congress, signed an international petition calling for the move to be made during his opening address to delegates. [1]

One in five people in the world suffers from chronic pain, but inconsistencies exist across countries and nations when it comes to the treatment of pain.

IASP is a global organisation dedicated to highlighting and addressing the issue of chronic, acute, and cancer pain through advocacy, and by supporting research and developing programmes to improve the standard of pain relief worldwide. The Congress, a biennial event attracting over 5,000 experts in the field of pain and pain management from more than 60 countries, addresses more than 1,000 different areas ranging from post-traumatic stress and pain to pain in the developing world.

At his opening address to the Congress, Dr. Jensen spoke of the importance of continuing to invest in and look for new ways for countries to tackle the issue of pain management.

Dr. Jensen said;

"Every day, millions of people across the globe suffer from pain. It is something that people from any walk of life can experience. However, inequalities still exist in regards to its recognition and treatment.

"We believe that every human being should be entitled to relief from pain, and this Congress is a key platform to raise awareness of the very real suffering that afflicts so many.

"But it's also a very real opportunity to focus on the positives and take a look at the groundbreaking work that is taking place to help make a real difference to people's everyday lives.

"To effectively meet the challenges of pain management in the 21st century, we need to encourage governments to provide researchers and physicians with the tools to make the treatment and research of pain a key priority across the globe."

During his opening address, Dr. Jensen also unveiled IASP's thematic focus for 2009: cancer-related pain. Although cancer pain is not inevitable, approximately a third of people who are actively receiving treatment for cancer and two-thirds of those with advanced malignant disease experience pain.

The consequences of unrelieved cancer pain can be devastating, including functional impairment, immobility, social isolation, and emotional and spiritual distress. In some cases, pain that is not managed leads to the cessation of potentially curative cancer therapies, having a negative impact on survival.

Dr. Jensen said;

"By taking a thematic focus, we can present in greater depth pain issues that are pertinent to so many people.

"In relation to the issue of pain and cancer, the focus is often on the initial diagnosis and treatment without looking at the ways in which the incidence of associated pain can be treated.

"Obviously, proper assessment and management by knowledgeable clinicians and access to appropriate treatment are critical.

"However, in the research field, a number of important studies have taken place, along with the introduction of new therapies that will ultimately help relieve the pain and suffering of those diagnosed with this devastating disease. It is essential that we focus on areas such as these, and we must continue to dedicate time and resources as part of our overall treatment of cancer pain."

The 12th World Congress on Pain takes place at the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre (SECC) and the Clyde Auditorium from 18th to 22nd August. For more information on the Congress, pain issues, and the treatment of pain, please visit the IASP website at http://www.iasp-pain.org.

About IASP

IASP was founded in 1973 and is an international, non-profit organization with its world headquarters in Seattle. It has more than 7,000 members from 114 nations, and many of them are the world's premier experts in the field of pain.

IASP's members include basic scientists, physicians, dentists, psychologists, nurses, physical therapists, pharmacists, and other health professionals working in the pain field. IASP is focused on research and treatment of all types of pain, including acute, chronic, and cancer-related. Its official journal, PAIN, is the world's leading journal on the subject. http://www.iasp-pain.org

[1]The Joint Declaration and Statement of Commitment signed at the opening of the 12th Annual Congress on Pain is a joint initiative between the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) and the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance (WPCA). It is the first time that there has been an international Declaration joining both pain and palliative care organisations. It was unveiled earlier this month at the World AIDS Congress in Mexico.

IASP