European Parliament Launches Pain Relief Alliance

December 5, 2011

The European Parliament has launched Pain Alliance Europe (PAE), a network of 18 nongovernmental organizations representing 11 European countries, to raise awareness of chronic pain patients. The Alliance will reach out to patients, their families, relatives and caregivers with information and access to pain diagnosis and management. It will also work to strengthen pain research as a priority in the EU framework program.

According to the Pharmaceutical Business Review, the European Federation of the International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters president Hans Kress said pain relief is a human right, as recognized by the World Health Organization, so EU member states should make effective management of chronic pain and access to treatments a public health priority.

The Pain Proposal European Consensus Report states that chronic pain could cost Europe as much as EUR 300 billion annually.

Tagged : European Parliament   European Union   pain relief   World Health Organization