In August, following advocacy by Human Rights Watch and a coalition of other groups, the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh adopted new drug regulations to ensure patients with severe pain have access to adequate treatment.
Human Rights Watch pushed for reform of such regulations after discovering that hundreds of thousands of patients with cancer and other illnesses in India experience terrible pain that is treatable. Many patients told us their pain was so bad that they would rather die than endure it.
We joined Indian activists in advocating for the reform of drug regulations, improvements in training for healthcare workers, and reform of cancer and HIV/AIDS treatment policies, including pain treatment. In February, we met with the drugs controller of Andhra Pradesh to address the need for new regulations and conducted follow-up research to further support our case (see our October 2009 report Unbearable Pain). We were extremely pleased when Andhra Pradesh adopted the new regulations.
Like India, many countries enforce drug control policies that condemn patients with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other health conditions to excruciating pain. Our work on palliative care in India is part of a global Human Rights Watch campaign on access to pain treatment as a human right.
Read more.
