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World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Policy and Communications in Cancer Care University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA

First Annual Report 1996

David E. Joranson, MSSW
Director

Table of Contents

Introduction
Purpose

Policy Activities

Communications Activities

Future Directions
Needs of the Center
References
Appendices

Introduction

In September 1996, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) established the Collaborating Center for Policy and Communications in Cancer Care at the Pain & Policy Studies Group (PPSG) at the University of Wisconsin. The Center supports the World Health Organization (WHO) cancer program, particularly in the area of pain relief and palliative care.(1,2,3,4,5) The PPSG is part of the Cancer Control Program at the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center, which in turn is part of the Medical School.

The offices of the PPSG are located on the campus of the University of Wisconsin, 1900 University Avenue, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 53705. Our websites may be found at http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/painpolicy, and http://www.medsch.wisc.edu/WHOcancerpain.

This report reviews the Center's work in policy and communications in 1996, as well as previous international activities that were conducted under the auspices of the Pain Research Group, WHO Collaborating Center for Symptom Evaluation in Cancer Care, which was directed by Dr. Charles S. Cleeland until September, 1996.

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Purpose

Mission of the Pain & Policy Studies Group

  1. To study public policy in relation to pain management; develop programs to harmonize controlled substances and professional practice policy with medical knowledge and clinical practice about the use of controlled drugs, in particular the opioid analgesics, for relief of pain in cancer and other medical conditions, and
  2. To provide a global communications mechanism for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, researchers, government officials and other health professionals interested in cancer pain relief and palliative care.
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Terms of reference for the Collaborating Center

  1. To develop methods to identify impediments to the availability of opioid analgesics; compare national approaches to opioid analgesic regulation; develop procedures to monitor the medical use and diversion of opioids before and after national cancer pain and palliative care policies are implemented.
  2. Develop WHO Demonstration Projects to make opioids available for cancer pain relief while minimizing diversion.
  3. To monitor development of national cancer pain relief and palliative care programs according to WHO's three measures of national policy, opioid availability and educational programs.
  4. To maintain a communication network for the WHO Cancer Pain Relief and Palliative Care Program, including publication of a WHO/PAHO, Global Cancer Care newsletter to be distributed throughout the world, and a computer-based telecommunication system giving professionals the opportunity to access and share information.
  5. Establish a comprehensive database of resources available to educate cancer patients about pain control and palliative care and configure the information so that it can be easily retrievable.
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International, multidisciplinary cooperation

We are committed to policy and communication efforts that are relevant to the needs of policy makers, drug regulators, medical administrators and health professionals in different parts of the world, with the ultimate aim of improving the quality of life for as many cancer patients as possible.

The Center has been an active partner with the WHO Cancer and Palliative Care Unit (CPL), Programme on Substance Abuse (PSA), other cancer-related WHO Collaborating Centers and Demonstration Projects, including the Wisconsin Cancer Pain Initiative. The Center has also developed cooperation with other agencies of the United Nations, including the U.N. International Drug Control Programme, and the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB). We have begun developing relationships with national governments, as well as with national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in pain and palliative care, for example the International Association for the Study of Pain and other national and regional palliative care NGOs.

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Staff of the PPSG-WHO Collaborating Center

David E. Joranson, MSSW, Director
Sophie M. Colleau, PhD, Editor, Cancer Pain Release
Aaron M. Gilson, MS, MSSW, Researcher in Policy Studies
Carolyn Williams, BS, MBA, Research Program Administrator
Kate Edwards, BA, Research Specialist
June Jacobs, MA, Program Assistant
Erin Stenson, Office Assistant
Gia Weier, Editorial Assistant

Special Advisors:
Ms. Liliana De Lima, Fellow in Policy Studies
Mr. Kailash Sethi, Former Narcotics Commissioner of India

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Policy Activities

The Collaborating Center has focused its policy-related efforts primarily, although not exclusively, in developing countries. The following summarizes these activities.

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International

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Latin America

The Region

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Asia

The Region


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Europe

The Region



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Appendices

Appendix A: Index to Cancer Pain Release

Vol, No 2,1 1988

2, 2 1988

2, 3-4 1988

3, 1 March 1989

3, 2 May 1989

3, 3 September 1989

4, 1 March 1990

4, 2-3 Fall 1990

5, 1 Special Issue on State Cancer Pain Initiatives February 1991

5, 2 June 1991

5, 3-4 Fall 1991

6, 1 Spring 1992

6, 2-3 Winter 1992- Spring 1993

7,1 Spring 1994

7, 2-3 Fall 1994 "Making Opioids Available To Treat Cancer Pain: The International System" "Managing Cancer Pain with Opioids: Addiction, Tolerance and Physical Dependence Defined" "The International Narcotics Control Board" "Opioid Availability and the Role of National Governments" "What Can Health Professionals Do About Opioid Availability?" -- Sophie M. Colleau, PhD "RESEARCH IN CANCER PAIN AND PALLIATIVE CARE: Noninvasive Routes of Administration of Opioids" Commentary -- Kirk V. Shepard, MD 8, 1 Spring 1995

8, 2 Summer 1995

8, 3 Fall 1995

9, 1 Spring 1996

9, 2 Summer 1996 (Supplement)

9, 3 1996

 

 

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