[Role of pharmacist in cancer pain management]

It is essential for patients to have understanding of the significance of morphine administration and to cope well with its side effects, as it leads to enhancement of the analgesic effects of morphine in the treatment of cancer pain. Since August 1993 we have used the booklet "Relieving Pain Effectively--Manual for Patients" and have consulted up to date approximately 670 patients about taking narcotics. The initial information eliminates the anxiety before taking morphine--we set up the time that each patient should take medicine to fit their life-style and explain about the the medicine and its side-effects. For this reason, the above information takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes per patient. We guide the patient over to over till the pain and side-effects have disappeared and file a "Morphine Education Record" with the details. We also prepare a "Pain and Side-Effect Control Sheet" that consists of 6 items and a pain scale where 0 equals no pain and no side-effect and 5 equals most pain and side-effects. Patients select the scale themselves every day. Pharmacists provide the information to a doctor and advise him on steps against side-effects, selection of dose, interval and rescue-dose. This is a report on the role of the pharmacist in patient narcotics guideline for cancer pain management.