For decades, racism has plagued the US, and the present-day manifestation of racism climaxed in 2020 with the ruthless killing of George Floyd and many other Black Americans. To facilitate fair, equitable, and useful pain research, problematic (subtle and apparent) ideologies and methodologies must be examined to dismantle and unarm the power of racism and bias in research. To address this, Dr. Star Booker (Staja Booker), along with PRICE colleagues, authored a focus article reflecting on our current research practices and ways to initiate positive change to improve the conduct of pain science with all individuals that identify as part of an underrepresented group. Congratulations team on this important contribution!
The Imperative for Racial Equality in Pain Science: A Way Forward