Pain management and current legislation in Austria

Although the WHO edited guidelines for pain treatment as early as 1986, pra ctical management has frequently remained inadequate, especially in cancer patients. Traditional adherence to restrictions from the former Austrian Co ntrolled Drug Act which have resulted in ongoing limitations in the prescri ption of opioids as well as complicated formal regulations in the current l aw represent two major obstacles. As a consequence, recent legislation of a "state of the art" pain management in Austria facilitates adequate provisi on of analgesics on the one hand, and may, on the other, even result in cla ims for indemnity should these be withhold.