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Research recommendations for the HEAL Initiative: a path forward for pain research
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Research recommendations for the HEAL Initiative: a path forward for pain research

Robert W. Gereau, Stephani P. Sutherland, Tamara Baker, Claudia M. Campbell, Yenisel Cruz-Almeida, Lynn L. DeBar, Michael Falcon, John T. Farrar, Steven Z. George, Jennifer Haythornthwaite, …
The journal of pain, 106301
04/26/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2026.106301
PMID: 42049122
url
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2026.106301View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Chronic pain conditions affect 24% of the US population and account for the greatest cause of disability, leading to tremendous suffering and lost productivity. The enormity of the problem is magnified by the dearth of safe, effective medications. We need more research that advances our understanding of pain to aid in the development of new therapies. Existing non-drug treatments are greatly underutilized for pain management despite evidence of their effectiveness, demonstrating the need for research on how best to implement these therapies. The NIH Helping End Addiction Long-term® Initiative (the NIH HEAL Initiative®) was launched in response to the opioid overdose crisis and set out to increase research and improve treatments for addiction disorders and chronic pain conditions. The HEAL Initiative® has made tremendous strides toward these goals since its initial launch in 2018. In 2024, the NIH convened a working group of external experts to assess its progress and strategize for the next five years of HEAL funding specifically for pain research. That process culminated in the production of an accepted Report containing these ten Research Priorities and five Core Principles to guide NIH leadership in planning and funding pain research within the HEAL initiative over the next five years. Here, we present these recommendations for consideration by the wider pain research community and invite further active discussion. Chronic pain remains a major public health crisis in the U.S. that has been insufficiently addressed. The research priorities outlined here were created to build the HEAL Initiative’s pain research portfolio over the next five years. The primary aims are to develop and advance treatments for chronic pain. •Here we present strategic pain research recommendations for the HEAL Initiative for the NIH.•An NINDS Advisory Council working group developed the priorities with scientific and public input.•5 core principles and 10 research priorities aim to improve the lives of people with chronic pain.
 Chronic Pain implementation PWLE strategy

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