HEALTHCARE »» REGULATION »» PAIN RELIEF »» Dec 04, 2023

Palliative care is an area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. Chronic or uncontrolled pain is considered the driving force behind the euthanasia movement. Constant pain affects at least 100 million Americans every day. Terminally ill patients often experience severe pain for many weeks or months before dying. Historically, pain management has been a lesser priority to doctors than treating a patient's illness. Concerns with addiction, side-affects, and drug laws interfere with the attempts of doctors to dispense pain medication - or with a patient’s willingness to take it. Opioids such as codeine and morphine, processed from the poppy flower, are effective remedies for cancer pain. However, except in cases with a terminal prognosis, and in light of our nation’s tragic opioid addiction epidemic, advocates say we need a safer substitute to replace opioid prescriptions to control pain. Consumer advocates say as much as anything else, economic factors seem to determine who receives relief from pain. People without health insurance as well as minorities and the elderly are forced to live with more pain than others. Pending Legislation: S.2243 - Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act Sponsor: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (WI) Status: Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Chair: Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) I oppose reforming current pain relief policy and wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Leader Charles Schumer (NY). I support requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take a series of actions relating to palliative-care training by: 1.) Providing support for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers. These centers must improve the training of health professionals in palliative care and establish traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced-education nursing degrees, social-work degrees, or advanced degrees in physician-assistant studies in palliative care. 2.) Providing support to medical schools, teaching hospitals and graduate medical-education programs for training physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine. 3.) Providing for a national education and awareness campaign to inform patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care. 4.) Requiring the National Institutes of Health to expand national research programs in palliative care. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

Winning Option »» No issues were voted

I support requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to take a series of actions relating to palliative-care training by: 1.) Providing support for Palliative Care and Hospice Education Centers. These centers must improve the training of health professionals in palliative care and establish traineeships for individuals preparing for advanced-education nursing degrees, social-work degrees, or advanced degrees in physician-assistant studies in palliative care. 2.) Providing support to medical schools, teaching hospitals and graduate medical-education programs for training physicians who plan to teach palliative medicine. 3.) Providing for a national education and awareness campaign to inform patients, families, and health professionals about the benefits of palliative care. 4.) Requiring the National Institutes of Health to expand national research programs in palliative care. And wish to donate resources to the campaign committee of Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) and/or to an advocate group currently working with this issue.

Trustee Candidates

Senator If elected as a trustee, the campaign committee of Sen. Bernie Sanders (VT) will be unconditionally awarded the funds pledged to this issue along with a letter requesting her to favorably consider passing S.2243 - Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act. American Academy of Pain Medicine Foundation If elected as a trustee, American Academy of Pain Medicine Foundation will be awarded the funds pledged to this issue along with a letter requesting these funds be used to advocate for increased research to improve treatments for pain relief and to increase accessibility to pain relief medication for those in need of it. Mission: American Academy of Pain Medicine Foundation is dedicated to its mission of advancing and promoting the full spectrum of multidisciplinary pain care, education, advocacy, and research to improve function and quality of life for people in pain. AAPM represents physicians practicing in the field of pain medicine, and is involved in education, training, advocacy, and research in the specialty of pain medicine. AAPM aims to be the recognized authority for appropriate and effective pain care through its knowledge, scholarship, and commitment.

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