On 16 October 2025, the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) platform hosted its annual event, “From Burden to Prevention: Reframing Chronic Pain in EU Health Policy”, at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Bringing together Members of the European Parliament, researchers, healthcare professionals, and patient representatives, the session called for stronger EU action to prevent chronic pain and integrate pain management into public health and social policy.
MEPs Sirpa Pietikäinen, Vytenis Andriukaitis, and Tomislav Sokol each underlined that chronic pain remains one of Europe’s most common (yet most overlooked) health challenges. They stressed that prevention is key to building resilient, inclusive societies and must be considered a core part of EU health strategies.
During the panel discussions, experts from the World Health Organization, the International Longevity Centre, and University College Dublin shared new insights on how rehabilitation, vaccination, and early intervention can reduce the risk of pain becoming chronic. SIP representatives Patrice Forget, Liisa Jutila, and Joanne O’Brien Kelly highlighted the economic and social costs of chronic pain and presented SIP’s Position Paper on Preventive Healthcare.
A patient testimony from Pain Alliance Europe gave a powerful reminder of why prevention matters, describing the everyday impact of living with pain and the urgent need for patient-centred, compassionate care.
In closing, speakers called for investment in prevention, better primary care training, and data collection on pain to guide future EU health policy. The event showed a clear message: tackling chronic pain is not just about easing symptoms, it’s about improving lives, boosting resilience, and ensuring dignity for millions of Europeans.
📄 Read the full event report here.
👉 Read more about SIP’s advocacy and download the Position Paper on Preventive Healthcare here.