Bill Text: PA SR39 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: A Concurrent Resolution directing the Legislative and Budget Finance Committee to create a Pain Task Force and a Pain Task Force Advisory Committee to promote professional and public education and awareness and to improve the quality of care for the citizens of this Commonwealth who are suffering from pain.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-17 - Referred to PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE [SR39 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-SR39-Introduced.html

---

PRINTER'S NO. 575
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 39 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY BROWNE, FONTANA, BREWSTER, RAFFERTY, KASUNIC, KITCHEN, BOSCOLA AND FERLO, FEBRUARY 17, 2011
REFERRED TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE, FEBRUARY 17, 2011
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Directing the Legislative and Budget Finance Committee to create
a Pain Task Force and a Pain Task Force Advisory Committee to
promote professional and public education and awareness and
to improve the quality of care for the citizens of this
Commonwealth who are suffering from pain.
WHEREAS, Pain can be classified as follows:
(1) acute pain, such as the pain following injury, acute
medical illness or surgery;
(2) chronic pain, such as chronic low back pain,
fibromyalgia, headache or chronic illness, such as lupus or
multiple sclerosis;
(3) cancer-related pain, including pain associated with
cancer and its treatment;
(4) pain in patients with life-limiting illness;
and
WHEREAS, Unrelieved acute pain increases suffering, can slow
recovery and is associated with an increased risk of
complications including death; and
WHEREAS, Unrelieved acute pain is common, with up to 40% of
- 1 -
postoperative patients reporting inadequate pain relief; and
WHEREAS, Fifteen to 25% of community-based adults suffer from
chronic pain at any given time, a figure that increases to 50%
in adults over 65 years of age; and
WHEREAS, Chronic pain is associated with significant
suffering, including compromise of physical and psychosocial
functioning, such as depression and anxiety; and
WHEREAS, Chronic pain leads to lost or compromised workdays
that equate to an estimated $50 billion to $70 billion in lost
workdays in the United States per year; and
WHEREAS, Up to 70% of people with cancer suffer from pain
caused by their disease or its treatment; and
WHEREAS, People with advanced cancer describe their pain as
moderate to severe 40% to 50% of the time and very severe 25% to
30% of the time; and
WHEREAS, There are now several published clinical practice
guidelines regarding the diagnosis and treatment of acute,
chronic, cancer-related pain and pain associated with life-
limiting illness, and the United States Congress declared
2001-2010 as the "Decade of Pain Control and Research"; and
WHEREAS, In spite of the availability of published treatment
guidelines, many citizens of this Commonwealth continue to
suffer from poorly controlled pain due to a variety of reasons;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the
General Assembly direct the Legislative and Budget Finance
Committee to create a Pain Task Force consisting of two members
appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate, two
members appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, two
members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives
- 2 -
and two members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of
Representatives; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pain Task Force create a Pain Task Force
Advisory Committee to assist in accomplishing each of its
responsibilities. The Pain Task Force Advisory Committee shall
consist of 25 members who are individuals with knowledge and
expertise regarding pain research, prevention, treatment,
educational programs and consumer needs, to guide program
development; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the committee be composed of one
representative from and designated by the following:
(1) Department of Health.
(2) Office of Attorney General.
(3) Pennsylvania Medical Society.
(4) Pennsylvania Academy of Family Physicians.
(5) American College of Physicians.
(6) Pennsylvania Society for Oncology and Hematology.
(7) Pennsylvania Coalition of Nurse Practitioners.
(8) Pennsylvania Society of Anesthesiologists, Inc.
(9) American Society for Pain Management Nursing.
(10) Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association.
(11) Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society.
(12) American Cancer Society.
(13) Pennsylvania Cancer Pain Initiative.
(14) Arthritis Foundation.
(15) Lupus Foundation of Pennsylvania.
(16) National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
(17) American Pain Society.
(18) American Pain Foundation.
(19) Pennsylvania Homecare Association.
- 3 -
(20) Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association and the
Chiropractic Fellowship of Pennsylvania.
(21) Association for Professional Acupuncture.
(22) Pennsylvania Pain Coalition.
(23) The Pennsylvania rehabilitation industry;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That two members of the committee be chosen by the
coordinated designation of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical
industries; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pain Task Force present to the General
Assembly a report evaluating the barriers to good pain care in
this Commonwealth, making suggestions for actions to improve
pain care within this Commonwealth; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pain Task Force study the feasibility of
developing and implementing a comprehensive Statewide public
education program on pain management to:
(1) promote public awareness regarding proper pain
management;
(2) promote understanding of the importance of early
diagnosis and proper treatment and management;
(3) improve the delivery of appropriate information,
programs, services and access to the most effective
treatments for pain; and
(4) encourage research into the nature, cause and
treatment of pain;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pain Task Force, in accomplishing its
missions, take into account guidelines that have been
promulgated by nationally recognized organizations that deal
with pain; and be it further
- 4 -
RESOLVED, That the Pain Task Force recommend an appropriate
means of disseminating information to the professional community
and the general public; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pain Task Force recommend sources of funds
to carry out its recommendations; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Pain Task Force report its findings
directly to the General Assembly no later than one year after
the adoption of this resolution.
- 5 -