Regulatory barriers to pain management.
OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of relevant federal and state policies, as well as recommendations for identifying and addressing barriers to the treatment of cancer and non-cancer pain.


METHODS
Review of federal and state statutes and medical board guidelines.


CONCLUSIONS
There has been an increase in pain-related policies since the mid 1980s, with recent years showing a significant amount of policy development and adoption. However, a variety of laws and policies contain provisions that have the potential to discourage the use of opioid analgesics for the relief of pain.


CONCLUSIONS
The evaluation and treatment of patients with cancer and non-cancer pain can be enhanced by a knowledge of the specific restrictions of controlled substances statutes and practice guidelines. In this way, there will be less chance for nurses to practice outside established legal parameters.
Joranson
D E
DE
Pain and Policy Studies Group, University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Madison 53705, USA.
Gilson
A M
AM
D004335:Drug and Narcotic Control; D006291:Health Policy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000451:nursing*; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000451:nursing*; D010166:Palliative Care; D014481:United States