Ethical issues in chronic pain management are becoming a significant challenge in today’s global health world. In the Seminar Rabuan held via the Zoom Meeting platform on Wednesday (17/07), the topic discussed was “Bioethical Dilemmas in Chronic Pain Management”. The speaker in this webinar was dr. Asryzilma Hakiim, M.H., M.Bio.Et, Lecturer in the Ethics and Medicolegal Concentration at Universitas Negeri Jember.
Chronic pain, defined as discomfort that lasts three months or more, has become a global health problem affecting 60 million people worldwide. In Indonesia, chronic pain accounts for up to 35.85% of all pain-caused visits to neurologists. This demonstrates the widespread and severe impact on people’s quality of life.
Complex bioethical challenges are frequently encountered when managing chronic pain. Bioethical issues occur when bioethical principles such as autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice come into conflict. Bioethical challenges in pain management frequently involve disagreements regarding values in critical decision-making, particularly when there is no universally approved alternative approach, therapy, or intervention.
Bioethical dilemmas can cause harm to patients in both financial and non-financial aspects. One example is a conflict between the principles of autonomy and beneficence caused by the patient’s desire to heal instantly. As a result, patients put the decisions to doctors, causing sentiments of hopelessness and worsening psychological states, which lead to worsened health conditions.
“Patients with chronic pain usually expect a quick recovery, so that dependence on therapy and treatment by doctors is quite high. Not to mention the side effects of treatment and medication that can affect bioethical aspects,” explained Dr. Asryzilma.
The topics discussed at this Seminar Rabuan support efforts to achieve SDGs, mainly SDG 3 Healthy and Prosperous Life and SDG 10 Reducing Inequality. Chronic pain affects the quality of life for millions of people worldwide, thus developing effective and equitable treatments to chronic pain by adopting bioethical concepts is a vital step toward reducing health inequities (Reporter: Fauziah)
