S. 660 would amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to pain care.
Detailed Summary
National Pain Care Policy Act of 2009 - Requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to seek an agreement with the Institute of Medicine to convene a Conference on Pain to: (1) increase the recognition of pain as a significant public health problem in the United States; (2) evaluate the adequacy of assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and management of acute and chronic pain; (3) identify barriers to appropriate pain care; and (4) establish an agenda to reduce such barriers and significantly improve the state of pain care research, education, and clinical care in the United States. Allows the Secretary to enter into an agreement with another appropriate entity if the Institute of Medicine declines.
Amends the Public Health Service Act to require the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to continue and expand, through the Pain Consortium, an aggressive program of basic and clinical research on the causes of and potential treatments for pain. Requires the Pain Consortium to develop and make recommendations on appropriate pain research initiatives.
Requires the Secretary to establish the Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee to: (1) develop a summary of advances in federal pain care research relevant to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of pain and diseases and disorders associated with pain; and (2) identify critical gaps in basic and clinical research on the symptoms and causes of pain.
Allows the Secretary to provide for education and training to health care professionals in pain care.
Requires the Secretary to establish and implement a national pain care education outreach and awareness campaign to educate consumers, patients, their families, and other caregivers.
Status of the Legislation
Latest Major Action: 3/19/2009: Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Points in Favor
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Points Against
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Visitor Comments
Barack Nobama
April 11, 2009, 11:27pm (report abuse)I believe we should put this bill in the constitution. ALL HAIL THE US
Angel M. Garcia, M.D.
April 12, 2009, 7:53pm (report abuse)There are 50 million people in the US suffering from chronic pain and an additional 25 million with acute pain. I understand that there is abuse among young people of opiate medications. However, we cannot punish patients suffering from chronic pain because of those who knowingly or unknowingly choose to abuse pain medications. The DEA and other regulatory agencies need to concentrate on finding the people who are selling these pain meds to people for recreational use instead of closing down pain clinics and physicians who are treating patients in chronic pain. A total no. of 98M hydrocodone pills were sold in the US last year. This only treats 0.13% of the patients suffering from chronic pain. We allow the use of alcohol which is not used to treat anything even though drunken drivers kill people everyday. However we want to stop doctors who are treating patients in chronic pain. Where is the sense in that?
JPBP
April 13, 2009, 12:13am (report abuse)This is something that I. personally, will contiue to watch. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Hey, about a gathering of chronic pain patients in D.C in June of 2010? Stand right on the capitol steps and put faces with suffering bodies.
LinR
April 13, 2009, 8:15pm (report abuse)I wish I could stand on the steps of my capitol but I can't "stand' for more than 20 minutes. I am un under treated pain patient and was TOLD by current Dr that I need stronger medication but and I quote "I'm not going to jeapordize my license to treat you with opiates". Take hot baths and do less strenuous activities. That's all I or anyone I know will do for you. My old, now retired Dr treated me with sufficient medication (just enough) but dr's now are scared stiff to treat properly and that is a FACT. The proper treatment of the pateient is SECOND to the license of the prectioner. A Dr. of 50 years ago would have cringed at this type of treatment.
avril5
(logged in user) April 19, 2009, 5:52pm (report abuse)I've suffered with migraine headaches for most of my life and need pain relief medication to relieve my migraine pain. I should not be penalized for other's misuse of prescribed medication.
Amanda Taylor
April 23, 2009, 1:14am (report abuse)Having two parents with many problems I too am appauled at the lack of compassion from the government and DEA. Instead of concentrating on street drug dealers, where most of the violent crimed and deaths occure Instead Dr.s are being TOLD how to treat patients. Hydrocodone is a miracle drug,it not only manages pain, It actually helps tremendously with depression. I think as Americans in a free society, Adults should have the right to take whatever legal drug that helps them carry on a normal life. Not deprive them of quality of life because they can not be treated properly for pain. It is a travesty that our country has come to this witch hunt. I have read that Ryan Haight was one of the worst drug abusers around and because of kids not being monitored by parents there are now thousands with out pain medication and it is getting worse. What the DEA has done is switch the war on drugs to everyday people who will be turned into criminals in order to obtain some type of quality of life
Wilma
April 24, 2009, 6:38pm (report abuse)I agree completely with the above comments. Chronic pain has caused total disability for me at the age of 46 years.
With effective pain management, I could work, but there are not many doctors that want to deal with all the red tape involved with prescribing pain medication and in the rural areas, it is hard to find pain management clinics.
I would rather work, but am forced to rely on Disability because I am not being treated for pain.
I believe if things don't change, there will be many more people unable to work.
The DEA is concentrating on pain doctors instead of working on the crystal meth problem that is so prevalent now. Why is this?
MichelleStory1
May 9, 2009, 3:27pm (report abuse)Grandma died age 72. She had bulging disc, lung cancer, and osteoperosis (sic). She was prescribed 5/235 Percocet (4/day) because allergic to hydrocodone, as well as 14 other medications, including Lyrica and flexeril, etc. One day, she fell, broke her ribs, so I took her to the ER. She was confused, so the hospital (no test) assumed she abused her meds, contacted other family members to tell them, even though I was there telling them otherwise. Her Dr caved in a prescribed hydrocodone instead, which she couldn't take. She would frequently fall because her leg suddenly caused her great pain and spasmed. Not only could she NOT take these, she had withdrawals from the Percocet and during the last week, she was worse every hour. I saw her dying and couldn't do anything. If I could have found her percocet, I would have. She became so incapable she died tripping over her oxygen tube. Later tests showed a stroke during the time I took her to the ER, which explains her confusion.
MichelleStory2
May 9, 2009, 3:35pm (report abuse)My Mother died age 56. She had breast cancer and migraines that plagued her from her 20's on. I do mean plagued, she would vomit and cry for days, and literally live in the darkest corner of the house. When she was given hydrocodone, she was sometimes able to sleep through the headache. Sometimes she needed a shot at the ER, if she could stand me taking her. She moved to a different state, and could not longer get these medications as doctors assumed she was faking headaches to get her drugs. She was taking unheard-of amounts of aspirin and ibuprofin to try to stall the onset of migraines, as imitrex only works at within a 15-min period of time. She died in her sleep from massive internal bleeding and enlarged liver due to amazing quantities of aspirin and ibuprofin. I haven't had my mother since I was 12 because her migraines were so crippling. Far better to educate people on handling physical addiction than to let family members watch the sufferer die slowly every day - from POISON.
JuliLaRose
(logged in user) May 26, 2009, 7:17pm (report abuse)This is badly needed, but it is not enough. We need implementation of Rights for those with Chronic Pain, with enforcement to ensure the nightmares and roadblocks end.
We need protection, now, to include:(1)expediency in diagnosing, treating, and managing pain;(2)without accusations of drug-seeking or psychosomatically creating pain;(3)that we will not be under-medicated or forced into expensive meds/treatments known for their ineffectiveness;(4)that we are provided immediate help when faced with uncontrolled pain due to bad doctors.Most importantly, affordable meds/treatments. If one is well-insured, financially stable, the pain can be controlled. If poor or under-insured, one is forced to live in pain.
Since my husband's job loss, I am now vomiting daily from a cheap, ineffective, generic med, with uncontrolled pain.
I am now poor. I am again in debilitating pain. After 27 years, this is what it has come down to?
S660 will at least signify an end to a horrible nightmare.
Joel
September 11, 2009, 11:31am (report abuse)I was critically injured in a head on collision in 1989, numerous leg fractures, two compound, hip and knee joint damaged, right ankle STILL the source of sometimes horrible and always nasty pain, disabling pain for 20 years now, my primary care DO gives me 3 darvocet and 3 800 mg Ibuprofins a day to manage it, I was told by the rehab doctors way back in 89 that sadly, I was going to suffer some chronic pain, most of which would get worse with age (it has) and I needed to learn to "deal with it" ?? I wanted so badly to tell this 3rd year resident to allow me to take a sledge hammer to his femur, tibia and fibula, and ankle and then we would talk about "learning to deal with it" but of course I didnt, the hysteria over opiate treatment still amazes me! Doctors I have talked to about this, not my case specifically, but in general have told me point blank that the DEA licenses them to write prescriptions, and they fear losing their careers over that, sad!