BPS-MATCH – Network for Biopsychosocial Pain Solutions – MATCHed care

Chronic pain is a major public health challenge in Europe, affecting more than one in five citizens across life phases. From childhood and adolescence into working age and older adulthood, chronic pain interferes with physical, psychological, social, and economic functioning. Despite its prevalence and societal burden and existing recommendations, chronic pain care in Europe remains fragmented, with large variations in diagnostic approaches, access to interdisciplinary treatment, and biopsychosocial and matched care across life phases.
This project aims to establish a European interdisciplinary network of researchers, patients, care providers and teachers, to explore life-phases–oriented approaches to pain care. The network will focus on “matched care for people with chronic pain across life phases” in Europe, integrating perspectives from healthcare, research, education, policy, and patient organizations. Central to the initiative is the recognition that chronic pain trajectories can occur in every phase of life, evolve over time, and are shaped by health care organization, social context, mental health, life experiences like trauma and labor participation.
The proposed network will connect partners from European countries to:
discuss similarities and variations in diagnostic and care pathways for chronic pain across life phases and across countries;
discuss shared challenges and good practices in providing biopsychosocial and matched pain care; and
co-create a shared European research proposal on chronic pain management across life phases, aligned with EU health and social priorities.
By strengthening collaboration between higher education institutions, research centers, clinics, patient organizations, and European pain alliances, and aligning with existing European strategies of the European Pain Federation (EFIC), the network will contribute to challenges in biopsychosocial and matched pain care. Ultimately, the network will serve as a foundation for future joint submissions to European programs like Horizon Europe, supporting more equitable, sustainable, and effective pain care for people across life phases.