Nature Neuroscience, Published online: 01 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41593-026-02323-y
Pain biomarkers cannot prove or disprove another person’s pain, but they need not be rejected as futile or reductionist. When developed within a bio-psycho-social framework and guided by epistemic humility and ethical safeguards, they can complement and enrich the voices of those living with pain rather than replace them.