Pain Relief

Share

Photo of two women hugging each other

Patient Quality of Life

Cancer patients and cancer survivors shouldn't have to live in pain. Ensuring access to effective pain medications improves their long-term outcomes and enhances their quality of life. 

We are working in state legislatures and with the federal government to ensure that new laws and regulations are balanced, addressing problems with misuse and abuse of opioids, while making sure patients continue to have access to needed pain medication. 

Latest Updates

See More Updates

ACS CAN Welcomes New Opioid Guidelines, But Remains Concerned About Patient Access

April 11, 2022
National

Washington, D.C.--Today ACS CAN filed comments with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding proposed clinical practice guidelines for prescribing opioids. Read the full comments

2020 Maine Session Summary

April 23, 2020
Maine

Victory in the fight against cancer requires bold new public policies that promote cancer prevention, early detection of cancer, and expand access to quality, affordable health care. Lawmakers make many decisions that impact the lives of Mainers touched by cancer and their leadership is vital to defeating this disease. In

New Report Shows State Lawmakers Can Do More to Prevent, Reduce Cancer

August 9, 2018

State lawmakers across the country are missing important opportunities to pass and implement proven legislative solutions to prevent and fight cancer, according to a report released today by the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). How Do You Measure Up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality grades states on the strength of evidence-based policies that help to prevent cancer, which kills roughly 1,670 people a day nationwide, forces patients to pay nearly $4 billion in out-of-pocket expenses every year and in 2015 cost the country more than $80 billion in direct medical expenditures.

Idaho Lawmakers Have Opportunity to Save Lives and Money

August 9, 2018
Idaho

BOISE, Idaho – Idaho is falling short when it comes to implementing policies and passing legislation to prevent and reduce suffering and death from cancer. According to the latest edition of How Do You Measure Up?: A Progress Report on State Legislative Activity to Reduce Cancer Incidence and Mortality,

Pain Relief Resources

ACS CAN comments re: Proposed 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids

April 11, 2022

ACS CAN submitted comments regarding the Proposed 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids. While we support certain changes in the Guideline - including a clearer exemption for cancer patients and patients receiving palliative care - we continue to have concerns about the misapplication of this and the previous Guideline. 

Maintaining Access to Pain Management for Cancer Patients & Survivors

April 22, 2021

ACS CAN supports balanced policies that address the public health concerns relevant to the opioid epidemic,  that do not harm patient access to  medications that they need to treat pain appropriately. 

ACS CAN Comments to CDC re: RFI on pain management

June 15, 2020