Pain Relief

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Patient Quality of Life

Cancer patients and cancer survivors shouldn't have to live in pain. Ensuring access to effective pain medications improves their long-term outcomes and enhances their quality of life. 

We are working in state legislatures and with the federal government to ensure that new laws and regulations are balanced, addressing problems with misuse and abuse of opioids, while making sure patients continue to have access to needed pain medication. 

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2023 Virginia Session Summary

May 2, 2023
Virginia

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, expanded access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Virginians touched by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In 2023,

State of the Union: An Opportunity to Elevate the Nation’s Commitment to the Cancer Moonshot

February 6, 2023
National

Ahead of the President’s State of the Union Address, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is calling on the President to emphasize the need for continued bipartisan support for increased federal investment in the fight against cancer.

Pain Relief Resources

ACS CAN comments re: Proposed 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids

April 11, 2022

ACS CAN submitted comments regarding the Proposed 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids. While we support certain changes in the Guideline - including a clearer exemption for cancer patients and patients receiving palliative care - we continue to have concerns about the misapplication of this and the previous Guideline. 

Maintaining Access to Pain Management for Cancer Patients & Survivors

April 22, 2021

ACS CAN supports balanced policies that address the public health concerns relevant to the opioid epidemic,  that do not harm patient access to  medications that they need to treat pain appropriately. 

Survivor Views: Pain and Palliative Care Survey Findings Summary

October 29, 2019

This Survivor Views survey examined cancer symptoms and side effects, including pain, and use of palliative/ supportive services. Cancer survivors report many physical and emotional side effects during and after treatment, but use of solutions to address those symptoms is lagging.  Survivors prescribed opioids often encounter barriers to obtaining them.