Untreated cancer pain shown to be a ‘scandal of global proportions’

Categories: Research.

In Africa, 2 out of 5 countries surveyed did not have morphine available to patients. Despite some advances, many African countries only have very low opioid consumption and, overall, the continent has the lowest consumption per capita of any in the world. As a result millions of Africans are left to die in preventable pain.

The study found that only 15 of 25 countries surveyed in Africa had morphine available in oral IR, CR and injectable formulations. Opioids are often unavailable, and access is significantly impaired by widespread over-regulation that is pervasive across the region. In many countries access to strong painkillers such as morphine is impossible as they remain legally restricted

The two lead authors of the study, Nathan Cherny, Chair of the ESMO Palliative Care Working Group, and James Cleary, Director of the Pain and Policy Studies Group in Wisconsin, USA agree that, “The next step is for international and national organisations working alongside governments and regulators to thoughtfully address the problems,” 

Fatia Kiyange, a co-author of the research article looking at opioid availability across Africa commented, “Despite some countries taking big steps forward we can see that opioid consumption per capita has only nominally risen. The lack of opioids has made it particularly challenging in managing moderate to severe pain associated with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa as well as the increasing burden faced from non-communicable diseases, such as cancer.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) both recommend that opioids should be available to patients in severe or moderate pain.  

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *