Study Shows Chronic Pain Treatment in Canada Still Seriously Lacking

Canadians with chronic pain suffer in silence for a long time before they are able to access the specialized treatment required for this disease. This is the normal state of affairs according to poster study presented at the Canadian Pain Society conference.

The STOP Pain project reviews the availability of, and patient access to, what are known as Multidisciplinary Pain Treatment Facilities (MPFTs) in Canada including how and what services they offer to those with this disease.

Results are startling. For a disease that affects more Canadians than diabetes or asthma, there is one MPFT for every 250,000 Canadians and the vast majority of these clinics are located in major centres.

Of the 101 MPTFs studied, less than one in two was publicly-funded. The median wait time to access this type of clinic is 10 times longer than a private clinic (32.5 weeks vs. 3 weeks) and can be as long as five years.

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