Pain Research

Increase investment in research on the societal impact of pain.

We ask to identify and analyse gaps in national and European funding for research (basic science, clinical, epidemiological) on the societal impact of pain and drafting recommendations on how future EU framework programmes can fill these gaps. Such analysis should take into account the propositions on pain research prioritisation from the civil society and scientific community.

We call on the European Commission to:

• Propose further investment in research (basic science, clinical, epidemiological) on the societal impact of pain as a priority in future EU framework programmes as well as in employment and health policy.
• Support the development of pain centres of excellence across Europe and encourage a network for these centres to provide for better understanding of pain and offer better pain management.
• Include pain as a topic for its mission-oriented research and under its research and innovation programmes, such as Horizon Europe. These could include models for effective pain treatment within research programmes, the development of screening tools, e- and m- health platforms, behavioural research, systems-level research, cellular and molecular research, and the development of precision medicine. Given the holistic approach to the social impact of pain, representatives from social science should also be involved.

We call on Member States to allocate further investment in research (basic science, clinical, epidemiological) on the societal impact of pain as a priority in future EU framework programmes and make funds available through employment and health policy and research and innovation programmes.