Location: European Parliament, Brussels (Rue Wiertz, 60), Room A3E-2
Date and time: 16th October 2025 at 11h30–13h30 CEST
The event offered an in-depth discussion on the prevention of chronic pain and its potential to reshape European health systems. Organised by the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) platform and hosted by MEP Motreanu, MEP Andriukaitis, MEP Sokol and MEP Pietikäinen, it convened policymakers, researchers, clinicians, and patient advocates to explore how the EU could scale up preventive action on one of Europe’s most prevalent and costly health conditions.
Chronic pain—defined as pain lasting more than three months—was presented as the most common health condition in Europe and a major contributor to disability worldwide. It includes musculoskeletal pain, neuropathic pain, cancer-related pain, postsurgical pain, and migraine, affecting people at all life stages.
Participants highlighted that its impact extends far beyond physical symptoms: chronic pain severely reduces quality of life, limits participation in work and society, and increases the risk of mental ill health, social isolation, and premature death. Economically, it costs Europe an estimated €12 billion annually, equivalent to 4% of GDP, mainly due to healthcare use, lost productivity, and long-term work absence.
Speakers stressed that despite its scale, chronic pain remains under-recognised in policy, underfunded in research, and poorly addressed in care pathways. Most treatments offer limited, short-term relief and do not prevent chronicity or disability, underscoring the need for prevention as an essential component of care.
The discussions emphasised that preventive action could reduce the onset and severity of chronic pain, support the sustainability of health systems, and improve equity. Chronic pain disproportionately affects disadvantaged groups—including women, people with disabilities, and individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds—making prevention a public health priority as well as a social and economic necessity for Europe.
During the event, SIP presented its Position Statement on Preventive Healthcare for Chronic Pain, highlighted priority areas for EU action, and explored how both the current and the next EU mandate could embed prevention into health, employment, and research strategies.