The European Pain Federation EFIC has officially endorsed the PAINDIFF recommendations for including sex and gender in pain research. Coordinated by Dr Michelle Roche, David Finn, and Brian McGuire at the Centre for Pain Research at the University of Galway, the PAINDIFF Network is a group of leading international pain experts, early career researcher, and patient advocates who have developed recommendations on methodological approaches for the inclusion and best practice study of sex and gender as variables in pain research – congratulations to everyone involved! These recommendations were recently published in Nature Neuroscience
Despite widespread recognition of their importance, sex and gender are still inconsistently considered in research. The PAINDIFF Network – made up of international pain experts, early career researchers, and two advocates from Chronic Pain Ireland with lived experience – has developed clear guidance to improve how these variables are studied.
Following a consensus process, the network created 13 key recommendations: five for all pain studies, three for preclinical research, and five for studies with human participants. Guidance is also provided for editors, reviewers, funders, and policymakers.
Implementing these recommendations will improve study design, reproducibility, and translation of findings, ultimately leading to better outcomes for everyone affected by pain.
Learn more about PAINDIFF and its mission at www.paindiff.com
