Newswise — The American Pain Society has expressed strong support for action by Congress and President, which resulted in the enactment today of two pain care bills, the Veterans Pain Care Policy Act and the Military Pain Care Policy Act of 2008.
"These measures are a vital step in making good pain care a national priority within the military health care systems. The brave men and women in military service, and their families, deserve no less," said APS President Charles J. Inturrisi, PhD, professor of pharmacology, Weill-Cornel Medical College.
The Veterans Pain Care Policy Act (S 2160) originated the Senate and subsequently was added to the Veterans Mental Health and Other Care Improvements Act of 2008 (S 2162). It will fund pain care programs in VA facilities and offer pain management for veterans with long-term pain disabilities. "The VA pain bill has a ten-year requirement in which the VA must report to Congress every year and show the progress it has achieved in enhancing clinical care, research and training in pain management. This will help keep veteran pain issues top-of-mind in Congress," said Inturrisi.
The Military Pain Care Policy Act of 2008 (HR 4565) originated in the House of Representatives and is intended to improve pain care for armed services personnel and their families. The bill authorizes the Department of Defense to implement a pain-care initiative, requires that all military health facilities assess their patients for pain, ensure they receive appropriate pain care, and refer chronic pain patients to specialty pain management services and to comprehensive multidisciplinary pain management when appropriate.
"APS was pleased to work with the Pain Care Coalition in the effort to secure passage of this legislation to provide effective pain management services to wounded troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan and for veterans with pain conditions who served our country honorable in other wars," Inturrisi added. "We express our deepest thanks to the members of Congress who served as sponsors for the bills and helped move them through the legislative process and to the President for signing them into law today."
About the American Pain SocietyBased in Glenview, Ill., the American Pain Society (APS) is a multidisciplinary community that brings together a diverse group of scientists, clinicians and other professionals to increase the knowledge of pain and transform public policy and clinical practice to reduce pain-related suffering. APS was founded in 1978 with 510 charter members. From the outset, the group was conceived as a multidisciplinary organization. APS has enjoyed solid growth since its early days and today has approximately 3,200 members. The Board of Directors includes physicians, nurses, psychologists, basic scientists, pharmacists, policy analysts and more.
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