Welcome
Part of Neuromodulation Unmasked: Navigating the Intersection of Quality, Bias, Ethics, and Fragility in the Current Literature
Details
- Date
- Saturday, January 23, 2027
- Time
- 7:00 AM – 7:05 AM
- Session type
- Breakfast Session
- Schedule
- See this day
About
This session will embark on a comprehensive exploration of critical dimensions in neuromodulation research. The session will take a deep dive into the methodological rigors of various study designs in the neuromodulation literature including RCTs, systematic reviews and meta-analyses, scoping reviews, as well as guidelines. We will specifically evaluate the quality of these study designs and how they measure up to standardized and validated reporting tools including PRISMA-ScR, AGREE, and RIGHT checklists. In relation to this, we will also assess compliance with reporting multidimensional outcomes in clinical trials, concordant with the IMMPACT guidelines. In addition, attendees will gain valuable insights into the intricacies of funding structures and conflicts of interest within randomized controlled trials and guidelines in neuromodulation. Due to the limitations in study design including lack of placebo-controlled trials, presence of industry bias, and other weaknesses, this panel will also unravel the complexities surrounding the design of an ideal, non-biased placebo-controlled randomized trial, addressing ethical considerations, feasibility challenges, funding dynamics, and the overarching impact on advancing neuromodulation research. Finally, we will explore the 'fragility' of data and the clinical significance derived from neuromodulation trials, offering a nuanced perspective on the robustness of evidence in this dynamic field. All talks within this plenary session have been inspired by current work, both current featured publications and upcoming research that is being submitted for publication. It is our hope that by outlining issues with the current landscape of neuromodulation in related to quality, bias, ethics, and fragility, we will motivate future higher-quality work that will have greater impact in advancing the field.
Presenters
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Nasir is a pain medicine physician and anesthesiologist at The Ohio State University, Wexner Medical Center. He is an Associate Professor, Associate Program Director for the anesthesiology residency, and assistant program director of the chronic pain fellowship. His interests include spinal cord stimulation, peripheral nerve stimulation, vertebral augmentation, and clinical research research methodology and epidemiology. Dr. Hussain has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals in the field, and has presented his work nationally at several conferences.
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Ryan S. D'Souza, MD
Interventional Pain Physician, Professor, Director of Neuromodulation, Director of Research, Director of Anesthesia Clinical Research Unit
Mayo Clinic · Rochester, Minnesota
Dr. Ryan D'Souza is an anesthesiologist/pain physician and Professor of Anesthesiology at Mayo Clinic. He serves as the Director of Neuromodulation, Director of the Anesthesia Clinical Research Unit (ACRU), and Director of Research for the Mayo Medical School. He is the immediate past Director of Inpatient Pain Service. He serves as a Director-At-Large on the North American Neuromodulation Society Board of Directors. He has authored over 200 publications. He is currently a Section Editor for Neuromodulation Journal (Peripheral Nerve Stimulation section) and Journal of Pain Research (Pain Education and Early Career Investigators Section), and an Editor for Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine Journal. As a physician-scientist, his research interests include neuromodulation, regenerative medicine, fibromyalgia patient outcomes, and evidence appraisal/guideline creation.