In August 2024, Andrew Rice initiated a Presidential Task Force on Environmental Sustainability. The task force aims to address global warming and sustainability issues, which have been recognized by WHO and the 2015 Lancet Commission as major threats to global health. IASP must contribute to mitigating these challenges. The task force will consider two main areas:
Environmental Impact of Clinical and Research Activities:
- Pharmaceutical Contamination of Water: Addressing drug contamination in wastewater, particularly those used in pain treatment, and considering a position statement with hazard index information in treatment guidelines.
- Microplastic Pollution: Tackling pollution from pharmaceutical packaging and lab equipment, potentially formulating a position statement or promoting initiatives like the Green Lab.
- Reducing Carbon Footprint: Learning from the anesthesia community and modeling carbon-neutral pathways for pain treatments, scrutinizing travel footprints for in-person pain management programs, and exploring alternatives.
Mitigating the Environmental Impact of IASP Activities:
- Organizational Activities: Identifying areas to reduce environmental impact in routine administrative tasks and drafting a sustainability strategy and action plan.
- Conferences and Events: Carefully consider the environmental impact of conferences, teaching camps, and meetings, and design mitigations without compromising highly valued activities. This may involve setting a specific remit for the task force to balance environmental concerns with IASP’s strategic mission.