History of ACTION
Launched in 2005, ACTION Ontario is an innovative not-for-profit organization. Its mandate is to advocate on behalf of patients with Neuropathic Pain (resulting from injury or disease of the nerves, the spinal cord or the brain), in order to secure better and faster access to pain therapies. We operate as a volunteer board comprised of doctors and other health care professionals from nursing, psychology, physical therapy and other disciplines. In addition to those working in the delivery of health care, the board is rounded out with the inclusion of patient representatives and scientists researching pain mechanisms. As volunteers with ACTION, each and every one of us is committed to improving the lives of people managing with Neuropathic Pain.
Recent studies in the United Kingdom estimate that up to 8% of the total population may suffer from Neuropathic Pain, a number that is much higher than previously thought. If this is true for Canada, it would mean that close to 2.5 million Canadians may suffer from this condition, which dominates their every waking hour. Neuropathic Pain destroys careers, relationships and even the will to live. Its direct impact on health care costs, is estimated to now exceed $250 million dollars annually with a broader impact on lost income and productivity, estimated to several billion dollars per year.
Neuropathic Pain is not well understood by either health care providers or lawmakers and, as a result, the condition is under-funded and under-treated in Ontario. ACTION Ontario intends to change this. We believe that greater public awareness of Neuropathic Pain will eventually result in the dedication of additional resources to its treatment as part of a more targeted, coordinated government response. In this way, we can hope for a better life for the many people who suffer from Neuropathic Pain.
ACTION Ontario is committed to working closely with different levels of government, researchers, physicians and other healthcare providers in order to achieve our goals of improved access to pain therapies. Please join with us to build a better future for those with Neuropathic Pain.
If you would like to know more about us, please contact us at email@actionontario.ca .