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| July 31st, 2008 |
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Media Contact(s): Mark Eddington or Lindsey Stimpson, 202-224-5251 |
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Printable Version |
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HATCH, DODD BILL COULD BRING RELIEF TO 75 MILLION AMERICANS WHO SUFFER FROM SEVERE PAIN
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WASHINGTON – Sens. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) introduced a bill today that could bring relief to an estimated 75 million Americans who suffer from chronic or acute pain.
The National Pain Care Policy Act of 2008 is aimed at overcoming obstacles to pain care by coordinating research, improving healthcare provider education and raising awareness of pain and pain management.
“Patients experiencing severe pain face significant barriers that may prevent them from receiving proper assessments, diagnosis and treatment for their condition,” Hatch said following the introduction of the bill.
“Since pain is difficult to live with, people need to be empowered with ways to live without it through education, proper diagnosis, treatment and management,” Hatch continued. “Moreover, health care providers need to be trained to better assess pain and treatment options. This bill is a major step in that direction.”
Dodd said, “Too many Americans suffer from pain every day and do not receive adequate medical attention. Untreated and undertreated pain is a significant public health problem that costs $100 billion a year and undercuts the effectiveness of our nation’s health care system. I am pleased to join my colleague Senator Hatch in introducing this legislation, which will work to improve research and treatment of acute and chronic pain, enabling millions to continue leading active lives.”
If adopted, the National Pain Care Policy Act of 2008 would:
• Authorize an Institute of Medicine Conference on pain care to evaluate the adequacy of pain assessment, treatment and management.
• Empower the Pain Consortium at the National Institutes of Health to establish a coordinated clinical research agenda, promote research and convene annual conferences to make recommendations.
• Create a grant program to help educate and train health care professionals to better assess and manage pain.
• Raise awareness among people who suffer from pain and help them and their families access information about management.
The provisions outlined in this bill enjoy widespread support. Companion legislation, introduced last year in the House by Reps. Lois Capps (D-Calif.) and Mike Rogers (R-Mich.), is supported by more than 100 organizations, including the American Pain Society, the American Academy of Pain Medicine and the American Cancer Society.
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