An article in the International Anesthesia Research Society, July 2007, surveys the attitudes of pain management worldwide. The 3 main areas examined are the medical, ethical, and legal trends of pain management and its adverse physical and psychological effects of untreated pain.

The article considers the main reasons for poor pain management are cultural, societal, religious, and political in nature. They see the pain treatment as focusing on pathophysiology rather than the quality of life. This, they believe, results in pain management being given low priority.

What they see as a solution to the current approach is to view pain management as a fundamental human right. A legal right that should be given to everyone.

Also discussed is the World Health Organization’s (WHO) view of opioid availability for pain management.