October 11, 2012: ACTTION and APS to Spearhead the Development of a Comprehensive Pain Classification and Taxonomy
ACTTION and the American Pain Society will be collaborating on the development of a comprehensive taxonomy of acute and chronic pain conditions. At present, there is no consensus on pain classification and diagnosis, a major limitation that has impeded the development of improved treatments. An evidence-based pain taxonomy is essential to ensure that consistent and accurate diagnoses are used for clinical research and clinical trials, and to facilitate comparisons across research studies. A standardized and up-to-date classification system is also critical for evaluations of new drugs and other treatments by regulatory agencies. The aims of this initiative are to establish a coordinated framework for pain diagnosis and classification, to provide evidence-based diagnostic criteria for the major acute and chronic pain conditions, and to broadly disseminate the pain classification and taxonomy so that it will have the greatest impact.