Controlled Substances and Pain Management: Changes in Knowledge and Attitudes of State Medical Regulators

Reprinted by permission of Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer

“Improving the availability and accessibility of opioids for the treatment of pain: The International Pain Policy Fellowship,”
Bosnjak S, Maurer MA, Ryan KM, Leon MX, Madiye G

The appropriate citation for this article is:
Bosnjak S, Maurer MA, Ryan KM, Leon MX, Madiye G (2011) Improving the availability of opioids for the treatment of pain: The International Pain Policy Fellowship. Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer. 19(8):1239‐1247, DOI: 10.1007/s00520‐011‐1200‐2

The August 2011 issue of the Journal of Supportive Care in Cancer, the official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) includes a special article titled, “Improving the availability and accessibility of opioids for the treatment of pain: The International Pain Policy Fellowship,” which was co-authored by the Pain & Policy Studies Group (PPSG) International Pain Policy Fellows (Bosnjak S, Leon XM, Madiye G) as well as by Ms. Karen Ryan and Dr. Martha Maurer of the Pain & Policy Studies Group. This article is based on a presentation by Dr. Bosnjak at the 2010 Annual Symposium of the MASCC /ISOO in Vancouver, Canada.

The article describes significant progress that has been made toward improving access to opioids as measured by increasing global medical opioid consumption. The International Pain Policy Fellowship (IPPF) is presented as an important initiative to improve opioid availability and accessibility. The central goal of the IPPF is to develop national leaders from low- and middle-income countries and empower them to improve availability and accessibility of opioids for the treatment of pain. Progress achieved by the leadership of the 3 fellows from Sierra Leone, Colombia, and Serbia is highlighted in this article.

The PPSG is grateful to the Open Society Foundation’s International Palliative Care Initiative and LIVESTRONG for the generous support of the International Pain Policy Fellowship. Additionally, the authors would like to thank the government representatives, professional organizations, non-governmental organizations, colleagues and numerous international experts who have been instrumental in the successes within all IPPF countries.

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