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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2009

A Capitol Perspective
A column by State Senator Pat Browne
16th Senatorial District

Time to Help Those Suffering from Chronic Pain

Chances are most people know at least one person who suffers from chronic pain. It is estimated that up to one-fourth of all adults and approximately half of all senior citizens lead lives plagued by unrelenting pain and suffering. For those people, life's small challenges can become nearly insurmountable. The simplest tasks can become nearly impossible to face.

Pain is a fact of life.

It can stem from medical problems, from illness or injury. In those cases, we all hope that the pain is temporary and subsides as we recover until it finally fades away altogether.

Unfortunately, it can also be persistent and increase in intensity as a patient suffers through the agony of a debilitating terminal illness.

In some cases, the cause is simply unknown and impossible to diagnose – despite all of the medical tests and procedures now available.

That is why I have introduced a Resolution in the Senate to direct the Joint State Government Commission to create a Pain Task Force, which in turn will develop a Pain Task Force Joint Advisory Committee.

There are several published clinical practice guidelines available regarding the diagnosis and treatment of acute, chronic, cancer-related pain and the pain associated with life-limiting illness. However, those guidelines and practices are not reaching out to help enough Pennsylvanians.

The task force created by my Resolution would be empowered to increase awareness among health care professionals and patients about these guidelines in the hope of easing the pain that plagues and diminishes the quality of life for too many of our fellow citizens.

While the primary task force will be made up of members of the General Assembly, we recognize that – with a limited number of exceptions – the Legislature just doesn't have the medical expertise to develop a system that will reach the public education goal that we have set.

My Resolution calls for the creation of a 25-member advisory committee comprised of a sweeping array of professionals and advocacy groups that deal with all aspects of pain and its management. We will utilize the  input and knowledge of the Pennsylvania Medical Society, the American Cancer Society, the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society, the American Pain Foundation and the American Pain Society – to name a few – to help get the message out.

The financial cost of pain, in the terms of lost or compromised workdays, is estimated to total anywhere from $50 billion to $70 billion each year. However, those cold, hard figures don't even begin to calculate the cost in suffering for victims and their families.

I truly believe that we can and must take action to provide whatever assistance we can to our friends and neighborhoods who are, simply put, in pain.

State Senator Pat Browne represents the 16th Senatorial District and serves as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.