Belgium  :Creative approaches to research by young scientists provide opportunity for new and challenging thinking to benefit patients who suffer from pain.

To move such approaches from a conceptual framework to a research project, the EFIC-Grünenthal Grant provides support for innovations in clinical research.

The number of patients suffering from pain is immense. In a recent ‘European Pain Management’ publication (Oxford University Press, 2018), Christopher Eccleston, Bart Morlion and Christopher Wells shared that of approximately 740 million people in the 37 member states of the European Pain Federation EFIC®, approximately 150 million people suffer from chronic pain. This number is equivalent to the populations of both France and Germany combined. The data clearly highlights that pain research is more important than ever. Through the support of the E-G-G Award, young scientists are encouraged to further develop and implement their research ideas.

 

Since 2004, the European Pain Federation EFIC®, in partnership with Grünenthal, has fostered many projects in the field of pain research: 60 young scientists from 13 countries have been supported by € 1.4 million in grants for their research projects. “Good scientists have a choice. We want them to choose a career in pain research,” said Christopher Eccleston, the new Chair of the Research Committee of the European Pain Federation EFIC® . As a result, the European Pain Federation EFIC® and Grünenthal have created value to patients with pain through investing in young scientists. Eccleston continued: “Our goal is to create a culture of success from which patients with pain from around Europe will ultimately benefit.”

 

“Chronic pain is an enormous burden and limits the quality of life for many people,” said Imane Wild, Head of Global Medical Affairs Grünenthal. “Treating pain is a complex approach. Effective treatment is often the result of a multimodal treatment that involves drugs but also other approaches such as physiotherapy or even psychotherapy. Accordingly, research in the field of pain should be carried out in a very broad way. Creative research approaches are of utmost importance,” Imane Wild continued. With the establishment of the EFIC-Grünenthal Grant in 2004, the EFIC and Grünenthal joined forces to provide support for innovative research ideas put forward by young scientists who are making an important contribution to pain research.