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Monthly Newsletter edited by Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network
Civic Activism | Patients' Rights | Consumers' Rights | Support ACN


Year 4th, number 40 - June 2016

 

SPECIAL EDITION ON THE RIGHT TO AVOID
UNNECESSARY SUFFERING AND PAIN

 

Highlight

Making the invisible visible on chronic pain
In the last few years, many initiatives – both Institutional and grass-root ones – have been focusing on the patients’ right to avoid unnecessary suffering and chronic pain. At EU level, the EU Parliamentary Interest Group “Brain, Mind, Pain” is working hard to strengthen awareness and spread knowledge of this phenomenon at institutional level. The MEP Interest Group “European Patients’ Rights & Cross-Border Healthcare” also devoted its most recent meeting to the topic of the degree of patient’s pain, which was related to the implementation of the EU Directive on cross-border healthcare. Read more

Mariano Votta
Director Active Citizenship Network

Focus

Tell us about your way of working with chronic pain and win!

 

"European Civic Prize on Chronic Pain" - Tell us about your way of working with chronic pain and win!
Active Citizenship Network  is launching the first ”EU Civic Prize on Chronic Pain - Collecting good practices”. The aim is to give evidence of existing good practices in  European countries in terms of struggle against pain. The winners will be given an expenses-paid visit to another winner and a publication in English in a suitable journal. Please find here more information, the project leafletthe guide and the link to fill the form by the 31st of August

June 21st 2016 - Pain Therapy and the Degree of Patient’s Pain in the Age of Cross-Border Healthcare
Article 8.5 of the Directive 2011/24/EU states that the degree of patient’s pain must be taken into account in the process of the cross-border healthcare treatment authorization.
Member States should have transposed the Directive into their national legislation by October 2013 and, consequently, should have put in place mechanisms to assess the patient's level of pain. The conference aims to underline how the protection of patients' rights seeking care abroad is also related to an effective implementation of the Directive 2011/24/EU cross-border healthcare. Read more

News
Patients' Rights

Societal Impact of Pain “SIP” 2016 - 8 policy recommendations: “Time for Action”
Over 220 representatives of health care- and stakeholder- organisations from more than 28 countries met in the European Parliament in Brussels on 23-24 of May to discuss the “Societal Impact of Pain” (SIP 2016). The working groups, under the scientific auspice of the European Pain Federation EFIC and guided by SIP 2016 cooperation partners Active Citizenship Network (ACN) and Pain Alliance Europe (PAE), produced specific policy recommendations addressing the societal impact of pain. Read the recommendations

More information
The interview with Mariano Votta, director of Active Citizenship Network on the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) 2016.

The involvement of Active Citizenship Network in SIP 2016
In the context of the SIP 2016, ACN has been mainly involved in the Working Group 1 titled "Pain as a quality indicator for healthcare". Because of its efforts in the fields of the protection of patients' rights and cross-border healthcare, ACN was entrusted with the secretariat of the Working Group 1, while Cittadinanzattiva-Tribunal for Patients' Rights was assigned with the task of presenting, at European level, an example of good practice realized in Italy on pain treatment: the Project “In-dolore 2014”. Read more

More information
Read the article and the interview published by Corriere della Sera last 23 of May 2016.

Malta supports the 2017 societal impact of pain symposium
After the Italian Semester of  presidency of the European Union also Malta decided to put the chronic pain in the European Agenda during  its next semester of EU presidency. Moreover Malta has decided to support the SIP 2017 during its presidency. Read more

Sine Dolore Excellence Award”: ACN awarded for his commitment in the fight of unnecessary pain
Active Citizenship Network received the award, promoted by Efhre International University (EIU) and Sine Dolore, in the “Organizaciones Sociales” category for its work against pain. Mariano Votta received the award on the 7th of May during the Closing Gala of the Sine Dolore Pain Meeting in Menorca, Spain. Read more

More information
Read the article published by Diario Menorca last 8 of May 2016

Read the interview to Jordi Moya published by Diario Menorca last 9 of May 2016

Implementation of the Italian law on chronic pain: the report of Cittadinanzattiva to the Ministry of Health
On the 7th of June Cittadinanzattiva presented his document, from the patients’ point of view, about the implementation of the Law 38/2010 on chronic pain, during an hearing of the Committee for Palliative Care and Pain Therapy of the Italian Ministry of Health. Read the document (in Italian).

Presented a Written Declaration for the “access to employment for those affected by neurological disorders and chronic pain conditions”
The Interest Group on Brain Mind and Pain presented a Written Declaration to call upon DG Sante, DG Empl, DG Regio and DG-Ecfin to collaborate on developing, consolidating and consistently implementing EU legislation which will ensure equal access to employment for those affected by neurological disorders and chronic pain conditions. Read more

Let’s make chronic pain visible… the red balloon project!
The Red Balloon Campaign aims to raise awareness of the critical impact of chronic pain on the individuals, their loved ones and us as a society. It want to make a change and improve pain management across Europe for today and for future generations.
In order to do so the Pain Alliance Europe need your help to spread the word and ‘Release the Pain’ …because together we can achieve so much more! Read More

Events

June 22 – Brussels (Belgium): Brain, Mind and Pain Interest Group breakfast meeting
The next meeting of this MEP interest group will focus on patient involvement in research: “How and Why those with Brain, Mind and Pain Disorders MUST be involved.” When: Wednesday, 22 June, 8.30 -10.00 - Where: Member’s Salon, ASP Building, European Parliament, Brussels. Read the Agenda. More information

June 24-26 – Milan (Italy): Masterclass in Cancer Patient Advocacy
Active Citizenship Network will participate to the 2nd  ESO Masterclass in Cancer Patient Advocacy, titled “Working Towards Stronger and more Effective Advocacy in Europe”, that will be held in Milan (Italy) next 24-26 June 2016. The European School of Oncology has decided to organise this course because of the limited opportunities available for highly experienced cancer patient advocacy leaders to enhance their understanding of key cancer policy issues and develop their advocacy skills. Read more

July 1-2 Sochi (Russia): Training for Leaders of Patient organization in Organization Development
The Foundation for Philanthropy Support and Development (CAF)  will organize the training course in Sochi, Russia the next 1-2 July, 2016. CAF is a Russian non-profit organization contributing to improvement of the people’s quality of life and social development of the country. ACN is invited to dissert about the role of patient organization in modern world. Read more (Russian language)

July 1-2 Sochi (Russia): Training for Leaders of Patient organization in Organization Development
The Foundation for Philanthropy Support and Development (CAF)  will organize the training course in Sochi, Russia the next 1-2 July, 2016. CAF is a Russian non-profit organization contributing to improvement of the people’s quality of life and social development of the country. ACN is invited to dissert about the role of patient organization in modern world. Read more (Russian language)

Ocober 1st : the next Worldwide Day “Hundred Cities against pain”!
Isal Foundation organizes each year since 2011 the Worldwide Day Hundred Cities Against Pain. Thanks to this celebration, ISAL is present in cities’ main streets and squares, goes to Italian hospitals to talk about pain, to raise awareness, to make pain more visible as a real and dramatic presence and to let people know that this disease can be cured and must be cured. Read more

October 14-15 Menorca Island (Spain): V meeting of EMNIPRE
The European Multidisciplinary Network in Pain, Research and Education (EMNIPRE) will celebrate his fifth international meeting next October. Read more

 

Credits
Director and Editor in chief: Mariano Votta
Editors: Daniela Quaggia
Coordination and Production: Giacomo D'Orazio 

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