The GAPP Patient Advisory Board Held Its Inaugural Meeting to Review the Study Protocol
Following the recent announcement of the establishment of the Patient Advisory Board (PAB) for the GAPP Study (Gabapentin in Paediatric Pain), TEDDY is pleased to share that the inaugural meeting was held on 8 July 2026, marking the beginning of the Board’s active involvement in the project.
The GAPP PAB has been established in accordance with the TEDDY Model – Paediatric patients’ engagement and empowerment, which recognises the involvement of children in health and biomedical research as a progressive process that develops according to their evolving capacities.
The implementation of this model within the GAPP Study is supported by the TEDDY Working Group on Engagement and Advocacy, in collaboration with the TEDDY KIDS Network, which brings together Young Persons Advisory Groups (YPAGs) across Europe.
During its first meeting, members of the GAPP Patient Advisory Board, including young patients, patient advocates and caregivers, began reviewing the GAPP study protocol in line with the SPIRIT (Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials) guidelines, providing valuable feedback based on their lived experiences to support a high-quality, participant-centred clinical trial. The workshop generated constructive feedback on the clarity, relevance and accessibility of the protocol sections under review. These comments will be considered by the study team as part of the ongoing protocol refinement process.
This inaugural workshop marks the beginning of a structured patient engagement process that will continue throughout the study.
As the next milestone, PAB members will complete the review of the full study protocol by the end of July 2026, helping to ensure that patient and caregiver perspectives are reflected before the study progresses to its next stages.
By embedding the perspectives of young patients, patient advocates and caregivers into key stages of protocol development, the GAPP Patient Advisory Board supports a patient-centred approach that responds to the needs and priorities of children and adolescents living with chronic pain.
For more information about the GAPP Study and the Patient Advisory Board, please visit the GAPP Study webpage.