[Present status and issues of pain palliation in Japan]

Abstract

In Japan, a pain relief for terminally ill cancer patients has been improved greatly in the past twenty years owing to the appearance of several new opioids and manuals available, loosening the usage of opioids legally, and so on. Medical institutions including clinics which are involved in home palliative care have the knowledge and techniques in certain levels. Sixity-seven percent of such institutions have the ability to carry out the continuous subcutaneous morphine injection. Though very few, certain clinics can do the continuous subarachnoid morphine injection using subcutaneous indwelling port. Considering that home palliative care including pain control required a professional knowledge and techniques, it is necessary to establish a new system in the district which enables to provide the palliative care of high quality by a team in which palliative care clinic or PCC exists as the main medical center.