Left behind in pain: the hidden pandemic of untreated suffering (Raffaella Ravinetto)

About this event

So-called "controlled medicines", including many narcotic and psychotropic substances, have a dual nature: they are essential for healthcare, yet potentially harmful when misused. Finding the right balance between ensuring access for medical purposes and preventing misuse remains a major challenge. This challenge is also marked by profound global inequalities. While the United States struggles to contain the opioid overdose epidemic, millions of patients in low- and middle-income countries and conflict-affected settings suffer severe pain simply because they lack access to morphine.

This lecture will examine the causes of this global gap, which also affects other medicines used in anaesthesia, neurological disorders, opioid dependence treatment, and palliative care. We will explore potential solutions from different perspectives, including regulation, healthcare, the pharmaceutical sector, social sciences, human rights, and law. Particular attention will be given to collaboration in research to address knowledge gaps and to expanding international exchange of expertise.