Newswise — The American Pain Society (APS) today praised the US House of Representatives for taking action to improve pain management for America's servicemen and women and their families. The House on May 22 passed a Defense Department authorization bill for FY 2009 containing provisions of the Loebsack Military Pain Care Act. The Loebsack measure now goes to the Senate.
Also, Rep. Tim Walz (Minn.) has introduced the Veterans Pain Care Act of 2008, which would provide similar improvements in pain care for veterans. The Walz bill awaits Senate action on a companion measure (S2162), which is on the Senate calendar for floor action in the near future.
"For too long, effective pain care has been overlooked as a national public health priority. The American Pain Society, therefore, is very pleased that the House has taken historic and decisive action to improve pain care for military personnel," said APS President Charles E. Inturrisi, PhD, professor of pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York. "We hope action on the military and VA bills will lead to passage of another measure, now pending in a House committee, which would expand pain care and pain research to benefit all Americans."
In his statement for the Congressional Record, Rep Walz said his bill will require the VA to "develop and implement a comprehensive policy on pain management for veterans enrolled in the VA health care system and to carry out a program of research, training and education on acute and chronic pain." A consensus statement by APS and several other professional and advocacy organizations stated: "Providing adequate pain management is a crucial component to improving military and veteran health care. A growing number of wounded veterans are experiencing long-term problems with chronic pain; left untreated, pain can have long-term consequences."
"Passage of the Loebsack legislation is a major step forward in helping injured military personnel, and the Walz bill will help veterans combat untreated and undertreated pain," Inturrisi said. "Both measures offer practical, affordable and effective approaches to helping wounded war veterans get the ongoing pain care treatments they need. We urge the conference committee to expedite deliberation and move them to the full Congress and the White House."
Pain is invisible yet stigmatizing and takes a staggering toll on the American economy " more than other chronic condition, such as heart disease, hypertension and diabetes. NIH has estimated that pain costs more than $100 billion a year in medical expenses, lost wages and reduced productivity.
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. 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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