The SIG on Acute Pain advances and promotes the understanding of mechanisms, assessment, prevention, and management of acute pain through the following activities:

• Collaboration between basic and clinical research.
• Study of the underlying mechanisms of acute pain, including the transition from acute to chronic pain, and the implications of acute pain therapy for clinical outcome and quality of life.
• Exchange of guideline developments, its methodology and implementation strategies.
• Exchange of information and experience about the assessment and treatment of acute pain, both within IASP and in exchanges with other national and international NGOs such as the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists.
• Identification and implementation of programs to minimize the development of acute pain and related suffering.
• Furthering the educational objectives of the SIG via international meetings, an annual symposium, workshops at IASP World Congresses, Congress satellite meetings, a newsletter, and the IASP website.