Closing the Gap: Case Studies of Opioid Access Reform in China, India, Romania & Vietnam

89 Pages Posted: 12 Mar 2009 Last revised: 29 Dec 2014

See all articles by Evan D. Anderson

Evan D. Anderson

Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania

Leo Beletsky

Northeastern University - School of Law; Northeastern University - Bouvé College of Health Sciences; Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, UCSD School of Medicine

Scott Burris

Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law

Corey S. Davis

Network for Public Health Law

Thomas F. Kresina

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Date Written: March 10, 2009

Abstract

Millions of people with cancer, HIV/AIDS and other conditions do not receive the opiod analgesics that would relieve their pain. Millions of others, dependent on illicit opiods, have no access to medication-assisted therapy with methadone or buprenorphine, which has been shown to be effective in treating dependence - and in reducing the risks of HIV infection. There are many reasons for this unfortunate and paradoxical state of affairs, but policy is a crucial factor. In countries throughout the world, drug control policies and outmoded ideas have helped perpetuate negative attitudes about opioids, prevented health care professionals from getting experience in their use, and erected often insurmountable regulatory barriers to their availability. Yet there are numerous stories of successful reduction in policy barriers. With help from the international community, many countries have succeeded in striking a better balance in their drug control laws between law enforcement and good medicine. This report, funded by the U.K. Department for International Development, describes the reform process in four countries - China, India, Romania and Vietnam - highlighting the tactics that international donors, UN agencies and technical experts used to support policy reform.

Keywords: pain, palliative care, drug treatment, morphine, policy

Suggested Citation

Anderson, Evan D. and Beletsky, Leo and Burris, Scott C. and Davis, Corey S. and Kresina, Thomas F., Closing the Gap: Case Studies of Opioid Access Reform in China, India, Romania & Vietnam (March 10, 2009). Temple University Legal Studies Research Paper No. 2009-25, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1356769 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1356769

Evan D. Anderson

Center for Public Health Initiatives, University of Pennsylvania ( email )

Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States
2159000359 (Phone)

Leo Beletsky

Northeastern University - School of Law; Northeastern University - Bouvé College of Health Sciences ( email )

416 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
United States
617-373-5540 (Phone)

Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, UCSD School of Medicine ( email )

9500 Gilman Drive
MC 0507
La Jolla, CA 92093
United States

Scott C. Burris (Contact Author)

Center for Public Health Law Research, Temple University - James E. Beasley School of Law ( email )

1719 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
United States
215-204-6576 (Phone)
215-204-1185 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.phlr.org

Corey S. Davis

Network for Public Health Law ( email )

Saint Paul, MN
United States

Thomas F. Kresina

Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ( email )

1 Choke Cherry Rd
Rockville, MD 20857
United States

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