The pain funding gap: A database analysis of pain research funding in Canada from 2008-2023.

Abstract

Background: One in five Canadians experiences chronic pain, at a cost of $40.3 billion in 2019. Despite this significant burden, there are few effective treatments for pain. This gap has been recognized by Health Canada, which has put forth the Action Plan for Pain in Canada. Advancing our understanding of pain mechanisms and clinical trials to identify novel therapeutics are essential to address this treatment gap. However, it remains unknown whether the recommendations of the Action Plan have increased research investments.

Methods: We investigate research investments in pain by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) based on publicly available data. We performed a systematic database search focused on operating funds from competitions between 2008 and 2023 and tabulated pain funding as a proportion of total CIHR operational funds granted each year. Next, we examined the proportion of pain funding across CIHR institutes aggregated across funding years.

Results: We identified 20,126 operational grants, of which 459 were pain focused. The highest level of pain funding was 3.32% in 2019, and the average (SD) was 2.13% (0.70%). Funding was stagnant from 2008 to 2023 (R ² = 0.10, P = 0.23). The Institute of Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis allocated the largest proportion of funding to pain research (11.40%). Eight of the 13 institutes allocated less than 1% of their operating funds to pain research.

Interpretation: In sum, CIHR pain research funding does not match the socioeconomic burden posed by pain. We propose three action items to improve pain research funding and to ultimately relieve the burden of pain in Canada.