Chronic disabling pain: A scotoma in the eye of both pain medicine and rehabilitation in europe

摘要

According to the World Health Organization, chronic pain, as a disease, is a source of disability. The idea that pain and rehabilitation medicine4 must be integrated in a more effective way is implicit in the World Health Organization's position. The United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (Article 5) states that: "No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment." To this statement, a commentary has been recently added: "Deliberately ignoring a patient's need for pain management or failing to call for specialized help if unable to achieve pain relief may represent a violation of Article 5." Thus, failure to provide access to pain management violates the United Nations 1961 Single Convention. In 2001, the European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Chapters (EFIC) launched the declaration on chronic pain as a major healthcare problem and as a disease in its own right.