IASP’s Commitment to Improving Pain Relief Worldwide
From 2023 through 2025, IASP commemorated the 50th Anniversary of four of its earliest milestones: the Issaquah foundational symposium, the organization’s incorporation, the first World Congress on Pain in Florence, and the publication of the first edition of PAIN, the journal of the IASP. During this time, IASP celebrated its half-century of success while also looking ahead to its future.
Throughout this year, the organization’s elected leadership and staff underwent an intensive strategic planning process, acknowledging a history of measurable progress and recognizing that pain remains underrecognized, underfunded, and undertreated. As a result, IASP developed the IASP 2026-2030 Strategic and Operational Plan, which publicly reaffirms our commitment to addressing these gaps and improving people’s lives by building global coalitions, shaping global policy, supporting rigorous scientific research, fostering professional education, and building an enriching multidisciplinary community.
Goals and Overview
IASP will achieve this vision through leadership, collaboration, communications, and innovation. The Plan concentrates on four strategic goals. IASP will:
- Be the essential global voice for understanding and treating pain
- Drive rigorous, trustworthy, and impactful research to understand pain
- Catalyze knowledge exchange among professionals
- Partner across the globe and disciplines
To support the success of the Plan, IASP will employ a phased implementation approach that maintains consistent progress toward the organization’s vision, while offering flexibility to adjust to the changing conditions. IASP has outlined key objectives, operational priorities, and metrics, and identified an owner and team to oversee the implementation of each strategic goal.
Examples of Planned Activities
As a result of adopting the IASP 2026-2030 Strategic and Operational Plan, IASP plans to:
- Convene a Global Pain Coalition of interested organizations
- Develop clear advocacy objectives and disseminate more policy statements
- Publish a Pain Research Agenda and assessments of progress
- Grow the Early Career Network and support early-career pain professionals
- Advance the development and adoption of evidence-based professional education
- Establish, cultivate, and strengthen relationships with more key partners
Timeline
Each year, the Plan will shift focus in ways that strengthen the organization and build toward IASP’s vision:
Year 1
Building the Foundation and Capacity
Build the foundation and capacity for this Plan, including assessing current activities and identifying priorities; establishing an infrastructure to track and report progress; piloting and launching key initiatives; and engaging with our Chapters, Special Interest Groups, and partners as sources of valuable insights and experience.
Year 2
Integration and Acceleration
Integration and acceleration showing clear progress, documentation of early outcomes, and refining of key performance indicators.
Year 3
Impact Assessment and Adaptation
Impact assessment and adaptation through midterm evaluation, priority and approach adjustments, and raising visibility of successful initiatives.
Year 4
Sustainability and Consolidation
Sustainability and Consolidation by institutionalizing successful programs and partnerships, strengthening internal capabilities, and optimizing operations.
Year 5
Scaling and Next-Cycle Preparation
Scaling and next-cycle preparation through expanding effective activities, securing the continuity of those activities with partnerships and funding support, developing the next strategic and operational plan, and celebrating successes from the 2026-2030 Plan.
Progress Reporting
Strategic goal owners and teams will establish monitoring mechanisms to track key performance indicators and report their progress throughout the five years, including quarterly progress reviews, annual organizational presentations to the IASP Council, a comprehensive midterm review (Year 3), and a final impact assessment in Year 5 (2030).
IASP will share periodic updates on its website, in emails, during the World Congresses and other meetings, and on social media throughout the five-year period.
Get Involved
Now is an exciting time to get involved in IASP and help advance the organization through the Plan:
Participate in one of IASP’s member networks, which include Special Interest Groups (SIGs), the Early Career Network (ECN), and the Global Alliance of Partners for Pain Advocacy (GAPPA)
Attend the 2026 World Congress on Pain in Bangkok, Thailand, 26 – 30 October
Donate to IASP overall or give your financial support to various worthy IASP activities
More About The Strategic Goals
- Be the Essential Global Voice for Understanding and Treating Pain
IASP will strengthen its role as the leading global authority on pain by shaping policies, raising public awareness, and providing evidence-based guidance to improve pain management worldwide. - Drive Rigorous, Trustworthy, and Impactful Research to Understand Pain
IASP will accelerate groundbreaking research by fostering collaboration among scientists, supporting innovative and impactful research, and ensuring research translates into real-world pain relief solutions. - Catalyze Knowledge Exchange Among Professionals
IASP will expand its role as the premier hub for multidisciplinary learning, providing cutting-edge education, fostering collaboration, and equipping professionals with the latest advancements in pain science and management - Partner Across the Globe and Disciplines
IASP will strengthen global and cross-disciplinary partnerships to unite researchers, clinicians, policymakers, people with lived experience, and related organizations in a shared mission to improve pain care and outcomes for all.