Although the EP elections are likely to change the Parliament’s set-up fundamentally, engagement at EU level will continue and continuity will also be provided through the many institutional connections made during SIP’s turn as Thematic Network on the EU Health Policy Platform. Following debates and interactive sessions at the SIP Steering committee, participants agreed that there is a need to investigate new opportunities arising from the changing  EU political landscape. The work in Brussels with the European Commission, focusing especially on research and keeping pain on the agenda, will continue. Once the new European Parliament is elected and settled, outreach to new and old MEPs will also continue. The EU level activity will lay the foundation for national work such as the engagement with the Council Presidencies held by countries that already have a commitment to pain policy.

SIP Strategy for 2019 and Next Steps

Although the EP elections are likely to change the Parliament’s set-up fundamentally, engagement at EU level will continue and continuity will also be…

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The SIP steering committee gave the SIP Partners on October 25th the opportunity to present the work done this year at EU level and discuss with the participants how to best leverage it to build the EU level component of the 2019 strategy. What we have achieved so far? During the SIP Steering Committee, Gudula Petersen, Governmental Affairs & Patient Centricity, Grünenthal highlighted how SIP continued its engagement and strengthened its relations with policy makers in 2018. Anca Pop, EU Public Affairs and Communications and Events Coordinator Pain Alliance Europe (PAE) and Vittoria Carraro, External Relations Manager, European Pain Federation EFIC presented the main EU level project of SIP in 2018. The SIP Joint Statement on the EU Health Policy Platform and called for its endorsement. The upcoming milestone to endorse the Joint Statement is the 12th November 2018, when the SIP partners will present the Joint Statement to the European Commission. Following the presentation, the SIP partners will continue gather endorsement to the initiative and use it to support 2019 engagement activities. Here you can find more information on this Project.

European SIP Advocacy - Achievements 2018

The SIP steering committee gave the SIP Partners on October 25th the opportunity to present the work done this year at EU level and discuss with the p…

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The Thematic Network on SIP held its second webinar dedicated to discuss the ‘The Societal Impact of Pain – our joint challenge to tackle’ on 4 October 2018.

Second Live Webinar with the European Commission on the SIP …

The Thematic Network on SIP held its second webinar dedicated to discuss the ‘The Societal Impact of Pain – our joint challenge to tackle’ on 4 Octobe…

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The IASP World Congress on Pain featured a special session devoted to the advocacy efforts of the IASP and its various regions, which gave us the opportunity to showcase the SIP project. IASP, the sister organisation of EFIC (the IASP European chapters), have a role to play in improving pain medicine globally via political action. One of the most important projects of IASP has been its efforts to push for the WHO International Classification of Diseases (ICD) to include ‘chronic primary pain’ as a disease in the next update, ICD-11. Inclusion of chronic primary pain in ICD-11 could lead to a sea-change in which healthcare systems pay more attention to pain, starting with an increase in the reporting of patients with pain as a primary indication. At the session in Boston on the 15th September, IASP and its regions presented their advocacy work and their efforts to push for the implementation of ICD-11. EFIC presented a section of the agenda which focuses on the SIP platform and the SIP partners’ efforts to draw attention to ICD-11. Speakers included Professors’ Bart Morlion and Thomas Tölle who presented the achievements of SIP to date at national and European level and provided example of how SIP has been a vehicle for advocacy of the ICD 11 uptake in Europe. The EFIC leadership was joined by MEP Marian Harkin, a great supporter of the SIP platform and Brain Mind and Pain interest group in the European Parliament. Harkin spoke about the importance of activities like ours in providing policy makers with the much-needed evidence to foster pain policies in a crowded health agenda. Finally, Dr Paul Cameron presented his cutting -edge work on pain classification and service delivery for the Scottish government. The session sparked interest in the SIP methodology beyond Europe as demonstrated by the very lively Q&A session that followed the SIP panel presentation.

EFIC highlight SIP project at 17th World Congress on Pain

The IASP World Congress on Pain featured a special session devoted to the advocacy efforts of the IASP and its various regions, which gave us the oppo…

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  Unfortunately due to technical difficulties, we have had to postpone the meeting til October 4th. We hope to hear from you then. Thank you for your continued Support!

Rescheduled - 2nd Webinar on the SIP Thematic Network on Oct…

  Unfortunately due to technical difficulties, we have had to postpone the meeting til October 4th. We hope to hear from you then. Thank yo…

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There is currently a data gap in how we measure and monitor the societal impact of pain across the EU. We want to change this!

SIP Thematic Network - Pain as a Health Quality Indicator

There is currently a data gap in how we measure and monitor the societal impact of pain across the EU. We want to change this!…

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Pain medicine is not taught as a dedicated unit in most European medical schools, and there is a lack of awareness of the societal impact of pain in the broader community. We want to change this!

SIP Thematic Network - Pain Education of Healthcare Professi…

Pain medicine is not taught as a dedicated unit in most European medical schools, and there is a lack of awareness of the societal impact of pain in t…

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There is inconsistent funding for pain research on national and EU levels, including a likely reduction in funds available for pain research in the upcoming European Commission’s research programmes. We want to change this!

SIP Thematic Network - Research on Pain

There is inconsistent funding for pain research on national and EU levels, including a likely reduction in funds available for pain research in the up…

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Chronic pain has a major impact on workforce participants and productivity and is not adequately acknowledged nor addressed by employers and policymakers. We want to change this!

SIP Thematic Network - Pain as a Factor in Employment

Chronic pain has a major impact on workforce participants and productivity and is not adequately acknowledged nor addressed by employers and policymak…

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The European Pain Federation EFIC recently completed their office move to the EU quarter of Brussels. Advocacy, especially the SIP project have been crucial to EFIC for some years now. Their new office is 5 minutes’ walk from the European Parliament, meaning that meetings with politicians and other political influencers will become much easier. As well as SIP, EFIC are involved in EU-funded Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI) projects as well as engagement with other medical societies and institutions, which necessitate meetings in the EU quarter. The new office is a great asset to the pain medicine community, and EFIC welcome allied stakeholders to visit and eventually to consider using the space for meetings. The building has a board room, meeting room and a space for sublet. Contact secretary@efic.org for more details.  

EFIC move to the heart of the EU quarter

The European Pain Federation EFIC recently completed their office move to the EU quarter of Brussels. Advocacy, especially the SIP project have been c…

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