Poppy-based medicines such as morphine play a fundamental role in the treatment of pain, and the overall worldwide need for adequate and sustained pain relief is increasing. Research shows that in more than 150 countries, containing about 80% of the world’s population, only a tiny minority of the patients in need of morphine treatment actually receives this morphine. Millions of people, particularly cancer and HIV/AIDS sufferers in emerging countries, live and die in unnecessary pain because their needs for essential morphine are not being met.
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