[e-drug] Bridging the Morphine Gap

["E-drug" <e-drug@healthnet.org>]

E-DRUG: Bridging the Morphine Gap
------------------------------------------------

[Lack of access to morphine is a serious problem: at least 2 million people
in our world (and probably a lot more!) suffer unnecessarily from pain, as
they cannot get access to an essential drug: morphine. Thanks to Nick for
the tip! For a good review document, have a look at:
http://www.worldday.org/documents/Access_to_Pain_Relief_medical_press_final.
pdf 
WB]
 
Bridging the Morphine Gap
 
BBC Radio 4 Monday March 3rd 2008 at 9pm and online at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4
for seven days after broadcast
 
"It was like hearing someone being tortured. She was not like a human being:
she could only think about the pain. A few million people in India go
through that agony. At least 2 million people with cancer and many millions
with other diseases who simple suffer and suffer, and their whole family
suffers with them, until death eventually relieves them of the misery. Some
people commit suicide because of the pain, sometimes people come and beg
please kill my husband or my mother or my son, I can't bear to see this. I
think it's dreadful what people have to go through which converts them from
human beings to some sort of animals." - Dr M.R. Rajagopal Palliative Care
physician, Trivandrum
 
Mukti Jain Campion investigates why, despite producing most of the world's
medical morphine, India's own people have virtually no access to it and how
a hospice in Shrewsbury is helping pioneers of the Indian palliative care
movement to overcome the ignorance that surrounds this vital pain
relieving-drug.
 
Producer: Chris Eldon Lee
 
A Culture Wise production for BBC Radio 4
www.culturewise.org
Tel: 0208 994 6980
Fax: 0208 994 1135