National Pain Strategy

Costing %24635 billion annually%2C 100 million Americans and 80% of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan (and 50% of all veterans) suffer from chronic pain. Current research%2C education and treatment efforts are inadequate to address this epidemic%2C which often leads to suicide. In response%2C the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) developed the National Pain Strategy (NPS)%2C the country’s first strategic plan to achieve a system of safe%2C effective%2C and high-quality pain care informed by scientific evidence. The NPS will promote research%2C healthcare provider training%2C insurance coverage for individualized pain care%2C and public awareness of pain. Millions of families can no longer wait for solutions and urge the Administration to direct HHS to swiftly fund and implement the NPS.