Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome/hypersensitive bladder: Worldwide confusion! What has gone wrong and how can we put it right for the sake of the patients?

Abstract

The international interstitial cystitis, bladder pain syndrome and hypersensitive bladder world is facing major problems. While healthcare is ultimately about making sick people feel better, this is still not happening for our patients who are not receiving the individually tailored treatment that they need. So, what has gone wrong, and why is there so much confusion everywhere? Since the first NIDDK research criteria were published over 30 years ago, there has been no major breakthrough either in treating the patients or even in truly understanding what bladder condition(s) we are dealing with. For the sake of the patients, it is imperative to take action now and make a fresh, determined start with meaningful, international, multi-stakeholder collaboration to determine how to proceed further to take the necessary decisions, solve the problems and achieve real global consensus and real progress to help the real patients with their real symptoms.