Consumers, Health Professionals and Advocates Hail Release of Landmark Institute of Medicine Report on Relieving Pain in America

WASHINGTON, June 29, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A broad group of consumers, health professionals and advocates today – including members of The Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women – joined to release a statement praising the Institute of Medicine's Relieving Pain in America: Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Treatment and Research, tackling a major health problem that impacts 116 million Americans and costs over $500 billion a year.

"As organizations representing millions of Americans who suffer from chronic pain, of health professionals who care for these Americans, and of researchers and educators working to improve the care and treatment options available to these Americans, we are united in our enthusiasm for the IOM's attention to this issue and by the release of this landmark report that identifies pain as major public health problem," the group said.

"We hope that this landmark report sounds the siren call for greater attention to pain issues by both public and private sector policymakers and by the nation as a whole. We hope the recommendations of the report lay a clear path toward much needed improvements in pain research, care, education and treatment. "

The Congressionally-mandated IOM report, Relieving Pain in America: Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Treatment and Research, is the most authoritative review to date of how America deals with pain, and how it can improve pain care, research and education.  The report and its recommendations have the potential benefit of substantially raising the profile of chronic pain issues, particularly those that affect women, among the public, health professionals and policymakers.

"This report is extremely significant to the nearly 50 million American women who live with one or more neglected chronic pain disorders," said Christin Veasley, Executive Director, National Vulvodynia Association, one of the four organizations leading The Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women. "Women bear the brunt of inadequate care and suffering experienced by chronic pain sufferers, and we are pleased the Department of Health and Human Services has enlisted the Institute of Medicine in examining pain as a public health problem."

The Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women recently released its 2011 health care policy recommendations, which include research studies that expand upon the IOM's work.

The Institute of Medicine's report can be found on its Web site.

About The Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women:

The Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women is an advocacy campaign fighting to end discrimination and improve care for women suffering from chronic pain. The Campaign is led by organizational leaders from the CFIDS Association of America, Endometriosis Association, National Vulvodynia Association, and The TMJ Association. For more information, visit www.endwomenspain.org.

SOURCE The Campaign to End Chronic Pain in Women