The Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee, as specified in Public Law 111-148 (“Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act”) and amended in H.R. 6, (“Support for Patients and Communities Act”) will: (a) develop a summary of advances in pain care research supported or conducted by the Federal agencies relevant to the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of pain and diseases and disorders associated with pain, including information on best practices for the utilization of non-pharmacologic treatments, non-addictive medical products, and other drugs or devices approved or cleared by the Food and Drug Administration; (b) identify critical gaps in basic and clinical research on (i) the symptoms and causes of pain, including the identification of relevant biomarkers and screening models and the epidemiology of acute and chronic pain; (ii) the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and management of acute and chronic pain, including with respect to non-pharmacologic treatments, non-addictive medical products, and other drugs or devices approved or cleared by the Food and Drug Administration; and (iii) risk factors for, and early warning signs of, substance use disorders in populations with acute and chronic pain; (c) make recommendations to the Director of NIH (i) to ensure that the activities of the National Institutes of Health and other Federal agencies are free of unnecessary duplication of effort; (ii) on how best to disseminate information on pain care and epidemiological data related to acute and chronic pain; and (iii) on how to expand partnerships between public entities and private entities to expand collaborative, cross-cutting research.
Nominees will be considered to fill three-year terms beginning in August 2024 and will replace positions opened through completion of current member terms. The Department is soliciting nominations for two non-federal members from among outstanding and recognized scientists, physicians, or other health professionals and for two non-federal members of the general public who represent leading research, advocacy, or service organizations for people with pain. Nominations must be submitted through the webform. Details and required materials for submissions are provided on the Federal Register.
The IPRCC seeks nominations for members from scientists, physicians and health professionals who are leaders in the field of pain research; and members of the general public who are representatives of leading research, advocacy and service organizations for individuals with pain-related conditions. The selection of candidates for each submitted slate of nominees for approval for membership is reviewed before submission to HHS to ensure that diversity of the committee is represented across racial, ethnic, sex, geographic, scientific areas of interest, and pain conditions.
Nominees for the scientific member slots will be evaluated based on nomination letters, CV and five criteria: 1) Pain-relevant publication record; 2) Public service; 3) Leadership; 4) Funding record; and 5) Clinical activities (if relevant). Nominees for the public advocate slots will also be evaluated based on nomination letters, CV and three criteria: 1) Public service; 2) Leadership; and 3) Merits of organization.
Nominations for new committee members are being solicited and accepted through November 01, 2023.
Submit nominations here.