Pain Euro-Mediterranean Coalition is the first civic center for the incubation of best practices against pain throughout Europe. The Sine Dolore Association and the Active Citizenship Network promote this coalition with the aim of raising awareness, fighting against stigma, improving the quality of life of people suffering from acute and severe chronic pain, guaranteeing the right to avoid unnecessary suffering.
This idea was launched in June 2016 during the event held in the European Parliament " Therapy of pain and the degree of pain of the patient in the era of cross-border healthcare" and was supported by the Interest Group " Cross-border health".
Geographical impact: The EU-Mediterranean space
Some countries in the Mediterranean area are already engaged in a significant way and participate in the fight against unnecessary suffereing and pain.
The following facts, in particular, testify that the Mediterranean area is the place and is leading to an important change in chronic pain:
- During the informal meeting of the European ministries of health, held from 22 to 23 September 2014 in Milan, the ministries of 28 EU Member States reached a common position on the need to build a European network to ensure the formation of health professionals and the exchange of information on the effectiveness of therapies for the weakest population group.
- In France and Italy, for exemple, citizens have access to and specific rights related to pain on the basis of existing national legislation, before the Directive on cross-border health services (2011/24/ EU) Article 85.
- Others Mediterranean countries of the EU, that is, Italy - again- in 2014 and Malta in 2017, have decided to work to include in the EU political agenda the issue of pain during their semester of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
- For 12 years a Mediterranean Multidisciplinary Forum on Pain has been organized in Spain, led by professionals and patients organizations to join efforts on the subject.
- "Sine Dolore Word Park", held in Menorca, is the fist and only world event prepared to involve the whole society in the subject with pain.
To exploit this geographical impact in the management of chronic pain, the idea behind this coalition is to unite forces among the countries of the Mediterranean area.