About IASP^®

Vision Statement: Working together for pain relief throughout the world

Mission: IASP brings together scientists, clinicians, health care providers, and policy makers to stimulate and support the study of pain and to translate that knowledge into improved pain relief worldwide.

 View a 28-slide overview presentation about the International Association for the Study of Pain^®. (PDF format)

Background

The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) is the leading professional forum for science, practice, and education in the field of pain. Membership in IASP is open to all professionals involved in research, diagnosis or treatment of pain. IASP has more than 6,500 members in 123 countries, 83 national chapters, and 14 Special Interest Groups (SIGs). Founded in 1973, our association is governed by an international Council, made up of Officers and Councilors elected by the membership. Members may also serve on Committees, Task Forces, and Working Groups. The current president of IASP is G.F. Gebhart.

World Congress on Pain

Our biennial World Congress on Pain, the world’s largest pain-related gathering, is international and multidisciplinary. Plenary sessions, workshops, poster sessions, and refresher courses comprise the program, and attendees can receive continuing medical education credits. The 13th World Congress on Pain will take place in Montréal, Canada, from August 29 to September 2, 2010. Click here for more details.

Publications

PAIN^®, the official journal of IASP, publishes original research on the nature, mechanisms, and treatment of pain. Our publishing division, IASP Press^®, produces timely, high-quality books for scientists and clinicians interested in pain research and management. IASP also publishes Pain: Clinical Updates, a bimonthly publication providing the latest information on a variety of clinical topics in the pain field, as well as the quarterly IASP Newsletter. Click here to view more information about our publications.

Activities

IASP sponsors research symposia on specific pain-related topics and provides grants, awards, and fellowships to support international pain research. Through its Developing Countries Project, IASP offers grants to improve pain education for clinicians in developing countries. Each October, IASP launches its Global Year Against Pain to raise awareness of different aspects of pain.

In the fall of 2006, IASP leadership developed its first strategic plan. This was an exciting moment for the association, as it examined IASP’s many past accomplishments and charted a new direction for our future. Click here to review the strategic plan.

The headquarters office of IASP is in Seattle, USA.