Symposium on the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) 2011: European Commissioner John Dalli Calls for a Better Understanding of ‘Pain’ in Europe

Abstract

Pain is a topic that affects every one of us – either directly or via a person close to us. Since the beginning of May, the issue of pain and its impact to society has become a new topic on the agenda of the EU institutions in Brussels. On the 3rd and 4th May 2011 a very unique symposium on the ‘Societal Impact of Pain‘ (SIP 2011) took place in the European parliament, bringing together more than 300 European healthcare stakeholders from over 30 countries. This exciting meeting concluded with a call for action for all countries involved to actively participate in the new ‘Road Map for Action‘ in pain. The symposium ‘Societal Impact of Pain‘ was supported by all three European institutions, the EU parliament, the EU commission and the EU council. The European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP^®) Chapters (EFIC^®) was responsible for the scientific framework of the meeting. EFIC is a multidisciplinary professional organization in the field of pain science and medicine, made up of the 35 European Chapters of National Pain Societies of IASP. Due to the urgency of this matter with pain affecting a significant number of the European population the scientific program of the symposium was endorsed by more than 85 national and international organizations and institutions that support pain care in Europe. Therefore, it provided a multistakeholder platform for healthcare professionals and specialists, as well as representatives of health authorities, pain advocacy groups, politicians, regulators and budget holders for discussion and to share examples of best practice in pain care. The pharmaceutical company Grünenthal GmbH was responsible for organization, logistics and support.

Acknowledgements

The Societal Impact of Pain (SIP 2011) event was kindly co-hosted at the European parliament by Jirí Mastálka and Milan Cabrnoch. The author would like to thank Kristina Barinka of Grünenthal GmbH for the practical assistance in the writing process of this article.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

G Varrassi is past-President of the European Federation of IASP^® Chapters (EFIC^®). The scientific framework of Societal Impact of Pain 2011 was designed under the responsibility of the European Federation of IASP Chapters (EFIC) and endorsed by 85 international patient advocacy and scientific organizations. The pharmaceutical company Grünenthal GmbH was responsible for logistic support, preparation and organization. The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.