Sunday, June 21, 1998

Management of cancer pain needs attention

It's unacceptable and inexcusable that large numbers of elderly cancer patients in nursing homes are receiving no medication for their pain, but that's what is now happening, according to a recently completed study.

Lee Bowman of the Scripps Howard News Service reports that the study -- conducted at 1,500 nursing homes in five states -- shows as many as 25 percent of these patients experiencing pain daily don't even get an aspirin to help them. The figure is even higher for those over 85 and for African Americans.

Any number of reasons were cited. Some care providers may think it makes little difference if the patient is terminal. Nursing homes don't like to keep opiates around. Staffs are not large enough to watch out for those who might need pain medication. Doctors have not been sufficiently trained in pain relief. Racial bias, it's suggested, may be a reason African-Americans do not get more help.

This much is clear: The situation cannot be allowed to continue. Throughout the country, both elected and appointed state officials need to familiarize themselves with this study (summed up by researchers in the Journal of the American Medical Association) and begin working out programs with nursing homes to assure that reasonable steps are taken to ensure this suffering is addressed.

Medical science has the means. What is needed now is the will to take action.