Cancer patients 'lacking painkillers'

[n2doc]

Cancer patients, particularly in developing regions, are in dire need of painkillers and affordable drugs, say experts.

The comments are from experts who spoke on the sidelines of the recent World Cancer Congress in Shenzhen, China.

"It's shocking and shameful the number of people who suffer needlessly because of the lack of access to analgesics," said Dr John Seffrin, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society.

According to the World Health Organization, some five billion people now live in countries with limited or no access to controlled medicines that relieve pain. Many anti-cancer drugs are also very costly and out of reach of many people.

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http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/08/23/2990618.htm?site=science&topic=latest

[LiberalLoner]

1. I've heard from people suffering chronic pain in the U.S., that access to

painkillers is denied here, too. Not because of lack of availability or funds, but because of the DEA war against drugs that turned into a war against doctors who prescribe painkillers for any reason. It's a shame that anyone should be in terrible pain, anywhere.

[no limit]

2. Yup, because as Michael Jackson knows doctors never abused the system

[grilled onions]

3. You Are So Right

I know people who cannot get meds because the doctors refuse to be "drug pushers"(their quote) and secondly it's very difficult getting these meds and refilling them. Oxycotin for example is a 30 day supply only and you have to pick up the script in person--no easy refills. I knew one sweet old lady who was in no shape to pick up her meds yet her son had a devil of a time to get it for her because it was not written in his name. If you switch doctors they may not be as understanding about the pain drugs you are on. I dread having to explain my drugs, for example, to a new doctor who does not understand the damage chronic diseases have done to this tired body. A person seems to get more attention to their pain if they break their leg then when they have any chronic disease,back condition etc. Yet what is a person supposed to do? If there is no cure for it and surgeons say other conditions are inoperable a person should not suffer for years while drug companies keep churning out new pain meds every year.

[DBoon]

4. I'm sure there are lots of opiates in Afghanistan to help these people

[slackmaster]

5. Nah, natural opiates are way too easy and too cheap to produce

Not enough profit in those.

[DBoon]

9. can't patent them either

[Greyhound]

6. Our oncologist showed us the letter he gets every week or two from those DEA assholes.

The upshot is; "We're watching you and just waiting for an excuse to fuck with you".

Better your patients suffer in misery...

We're just fucking hopeless.

[butterfly77]

7. I know a lot of people who..

suffer greatly from arthritic pain both,rheumatoid and osteo and some have told me they get motrin or naproxen,a drug called tramadol.

They say none of this works they exercise and use various types of liniment. I don't think that they can get anything stronger due to their medical plans..

[pipi_k]

10. Yep, my son has RA and

apparently none of the painkillers he gets from his doctor help. He's only 40 and has had it for 5 years.

I was glad when the law concerning small amounts of pot were changed here. Not that he didn't use it before, but at least now it's not a criminal offense...

[Bitwit1234]

8. I have to say that

hydrocodone is available for us that have prescriptions for $4.00 at WalMart. My doctors did not hesitate to give me and renew prescriptions for oxycodone, hydrocodone and percet. I used the oxycodone and percet but it made me break out and throw up so I flushed it. Hydrocodone is all I take intermittently for my knee and when I had the pain from the cancer operation. The doctor said that if you have pain, you do not become addicted to hydrocodone.

My mother had a prescription. She refilled it regularly when it ran out. Now if she was addicted she wouldn't have forgotten to take it a lot of times.