News from the European Pain Federation EFIC Chapters – June 2025

We’re pleased to highlight an exciting update from our Swiss National Chapter. The Swiss Pain Society (SPS) will host its Joint Congress with the Swiss Society for Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (SGPMR) on 13-14 November 2025 at the Congress Centre Kursaal Interlaken.

Held under the theme “Rehab meets Pain meets Rehab,” the event promises a dynamic interdisciplinary programme designed to enhance collaboration across specialties and promote holistic approaches to pain treatment.

Key topics include:

• Chronic pain in rehabilitation medicine

• Multimodal and interdisciplinary pain management

• Psychological and neurological aspects of pain

• Patient-centred care in chronic conditions

The congress will feature:

• Plenary sessions with expert speakers
• Parallel workshops and breakout discussions
• A joint general assembly of both societies
• Opportunities for networking and knowledge exchange across professions

The Swiss Pain Society invites healthcare professionals, researchers, and students from across Switzerland and Europe to participate in this unique forum for advancing pain science and practice.

More information and registration: Swiss Pain Society Joint Congress 2025

The British Pain Society Annual General Meeting was held online in May 2025. Dr Deepak Ravindran and Professor Shafaq (Skip) Sikandar who were appointed as elected Council members for four year terms.

One of the most enjoyable parts of the AGM is the recognition of the significant contributions and achievements of individuals to the Society, and to the specialty and their profession more broadly It was a delight to award honorary membership to Dr Patrick Hill and Professor Sam Ahmedzai. Citations for Patrick and Sam were provided by Professor Amanda Williams and Dr Patrick Hill respectfully. It was very interesting to learn about their backgrounds and celebrate their achievements. In addition, Mrs Felicia Cox was awarded the Medal of Distinction, the highest honour to be awarded in the BPS, for outstanding contributions to BPS and the pain community.

In early June, the 58th Annual Scientific Meeting was held at the Wales International Convention Centre with over 450 attendees. There were many opportunities to meet colleagues from across the UK and beyond, and the event showcased the latest advancements in pain management. We also included a range of wellness activities for delegates, including the opportunity to try Nordic walking and join in singing with the Welsh National Opera. On the first day there were three education streams on opioids, nutrition and lifestyle medicine, and an ultrasound workshop for pain interventions. Key plenary sessions included the Pat Wall lecture on the contribution of autoantibodies in fibromyalgia (Professor Camilla Svensson) and the British Pain Society lecture on the evolving role of opioids in postsurgical pain (Dr Jane Quinlan).

Looking ahead for 2025, the Society will begin the launch its strategy for 2025 to 2030 – a roadmap shaped by extensive member engagement, collaboration, and a deep understanding of the evolving landscape of pain care in the UK. The strategy outlines our commitment to advancing pain care, supporting professionals, and ensuring that lived experience informs all we do. We look forward to sharing more details with our members and stakeholders in the coming months, and to working together to bring this vision to life.

Find out more about the British Pain Society.

The Swedish Pain Society, together with Rehabilitation Medicine in the Jönköping Region, is organising the annual conference ‘Pain Forum‘ on October 16–17.

SIP Sweden will organise various activities around the country on Pain Awareness Day, October 15. More information will follow.

We’re pleased to share an exciting update from our Armenian National Chapter. The National Association of Pain Medicine, Armenia is proud to announce Yerevan Pain Days 2025, taking place alongside the 1st Armenian International Congress on Pain Medicine (1st AICPM) from 27–30 November 2025 in Yerevan, Armenia.

This hybrid event marks a major milestone for pain care in the region, bringing together leading voices from across the globe to advance education, research, and awareness in pain medicine. As the first-ever large-scale scientific congress in Armenia fully dedicated to pain management, the event will feature:

🔹 Presentations from international and regional experts
🔹 Hands-on workshops in interventional techniques, physiotherapy, and rehabilitation
🔹 Exhibitions showcasing cutting-edge medical technologies
🔹 Public awareness campaigns and patient education forums
🔹 Rich networking opportunities for healthcare professionals, academics, and industry

Hosted at the modern Meridian EXPO and Event Center, Yerevan Pain Days 2025 is co-organised by Eventure Global and Concern Energomash, with support from local and international collaborators.

Professionals from a wide spectrum of fields—including pain medicine, anesthesiology, physiotherapy, psychology, oncology, and policy—are warmly invited to attend. The event is designed to foster cross-disciplinary collaboration and position Armenia as a growing centre for pain education and innovation.

Register now and learn more at: https://healthcareexpo.am/

We congratulate the Armenian National Chapter on this important initiative and look forward to seeing EFIC represented in Yerevan in November 2025.

The Serbian Pain Society’s New National Congress, Contemporary Approaches to Pain management: Science, Practice and Innovation” will take place on 5-6 December 2025 in Novi Sad, and will involve international participation.

The 3rd edition of the Belgian Pain Society

Young Researchers Day at Antwerp University was a success, bringing together young minds in pain research. This event not only showcased the talent and dedication of the next generation of scientists but also highlighted the vital role they play in shaping the future of pain management.

The congress featured a series of oral presentations and poster presentations that covered a diverse range of topics. Clinical relevance was highlighted through presentations on pregnancy-related lumbopelvic pain, the role of exercise in chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, qualitative sensory testing, chronic pain in breast cancer patients, autonomic dysfunction in chronic pain, and risk prediction models for chronic post-surgical pain. These topics underscored the importance of applied research in understanding and addressing real-world challenges in pain management.

In addition to clinical topics, the congress also delved into foundational research. Presentations on mitochondrial dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome, T-cell dysfunction in chronic pain, and new insights into the complex physiological interplay of stress and pain emphasized the multifaceted nature of pain mechanisms. Discussions around adrenergic dysfunction in chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia further enriched the dialogue, highlighting the diverse areas of study within the field.

Two distinguished speakers shared their expertise in a hot topic debate. Professor Mira Meeus gave an interesting talk about the barriers to physical activity in chronic pain management and Professor Anneleen Malfiet highlighted the significance of sleep in chronic pain. Their insights highlighted the significance of sleep in chronic pain. Their insights provided valuable perspectives on how lifestyle factors influence pain outcomes, encouraging researchers to incorporate these considerations into their work.

The award for the best oral presentation was received by Jente Van Campenhout for her research project “Mitochondrial dysfunction in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: preliminary results on mitochondrial flux analyses”. The award for the best poster presentation was received by Robrecht De Baere for his research project “Gender, pain and the development of a questionnaire to study their relationship”.

The event was a powerful reminder of the potential that lies in young researchers, whose discoveries will help redefine pain research and improve patient care worldwide. The Belgian Pain Society continues to support and encourage this next generation, knowing that their work today will lead to groundbreaking solutions for the challenges faced by individuals affected by pain.

As we look ahead, we hope that the success of this event serves as an inspiration not only within Belgium but also to young researchers across the globe. The spirit of collaboration, innovation, and determination that characterised this day demonstrates how much we can achieve when we come together to tackle one of the most complex health issues of our time. May the enthusiasm displayed by all the participants continue to inspire researchers around the world to pursue excellence and contribute to the ongoing evolution of pain science. With plans to host this congress every two years, we look forward to upcoming editions of the Belgian Pain Society: Young Researchers Day!

The organising committee of the Belgian Pain Society: Young Researchers Day of 2025.

Visit the Belgian Pain Society website here

Finnish Association for Pain Research, (SKTY),  Combined Newsletter 1 and 2 for 2025

The year 2025 will be the 29th year of operation of the Association. The aim of the association is to develop multidisciplinary and multidisciplinary pain research and treatment in Finland. The Association aims to influence issues and opinions in society on pain management. 

The Association will have 12 committees during the period 2025. The committees will plan and organise nationwide multidisciplinary pain management training for health professionals. Promoting networking among pain care professionals is one of the key objectives of the association and the committees play a key role in achieving this. 

The Association provides educational and assessment support for the award of specific qualifications in pain medicine and aims to make the study of pain medicine more popular among the Finnish medical and dental profession. The association supports specialist training in pain management for psychologists, physiotherapists and nurses.

The association aims to promote domestic pain research by providing networking and collaboration opportunities for researchers. The Association supports pain research activities by announcing fellowships for its members. 

The Association cooperates with international pain research associations.

The Association`s objectives and development areas for the 2025 period 

A membership survey was sent to all members of the Association in autumn 2024. The members’ questionnaire surveyed members’ thoughts on the current activities of the Association and their wishes for the future development of the Association’s activities. The main objectives and areas for development of the Association for the period 2025 have been defined on the basis of the membership survey.

Improving the level of competence in pain management in Finland 

During the period 2025, the Association will focus primarily on activities that could promote the implementation of high-quality, equal pain management throughout Finland. Activities will focus on both primary care and specialist care, including the private sector. The association aims to influence the development of welfare areas in order to ensure access to quality pain care and multidisciplinary cooperation. 

In 2025, the association will focus primarily on spreading information and awareness of quality pain care throughout Finland. A key objective is to increase interest in pain care and research. 

These objectives will be achieved primarily through collaboration with educational institutions and through visibility.  The objectives for 2025 will focus in particular on primary health care!

Communication and visibility

In 2024, the association has launched a new social media channel (Instagram, Suomenkivuntutkimusyhdistys ry) Their content will be developed and their visibility increased in 2025. The visibility work will be led by the Association’s brand ambassador. This gives us the opportunity to provide our members with up-to-date information, e.g. information about our own congresses or, as recently, the EFIC Congress 2025 in Lyon.

In 2025, efforts will continue to focus on information, internal cooperation and communication.

The association will continue to cooperate with other associations, for example in organising training courses. In addition, the association will invest in social influence and visibility, for example in educational institutions and primary health care. The aim is to make pain management more attractive and thus also to increase membership. 

The aim for 2025 is to relaunch the Social Lobbying Committee.

Training and networking 

The training activities planned by the committees are a key focus of the association’s activities. A key objective for 2025 is to make training accessible to as many members as possible. 

In 2025, the feasibility of combining the Association’s major training events will be evaluated. A key issue to be assessed is whether a single large-scale cross-committee training event would improve access for members to a wide range of pain education. 

In 2025, the organisation of hybrid training events will continue. Unfortunately, in the future the range of options for organising training and networking events will be pursued to reduce costs. 

Members of the association have requested both topic-specific and professional group-specific training. In addition to live training, short webinars and information sessions on virtual platforms have been requested. Organised networking opportunities were also requested. These requests will be communicated to the committees and will be taken into account in the organisation of events. To facilitate the organisation of training events, the Association’s Guide to the organisation of training events will be used. The Association has a training coordinator who supports the organisers in organising training events.

The association’s main training event was held in March 2025 in Turku. The main training event  was accompanied by the statutory spring meeting of the association. 

Based on a survey of members, they feel that digital material supporting pain management would be useful to them in their work. In 2025, the updating of the material bank on the Association’s website will be launched.

In 2025, information will be disseminated on specific competency and specialist training in pain management to all areas of wellbeing.

In 2025, the organisation of hybrid training events will continue. Our next big event will take place from 27-28. November 2025 in Tampere. The theme of the two-day congress is: Treatment of acute and cancer Pain through multidisciplinary collaboration. Internationasl guests are also invited to this event.

Research activities

A survey of members has shown for several years now that members want to see more networking among pain researchers. The aim for 2025 is to increase the visibility of national research projects in the Association’s educational and networking events. In 2025, a new reporting method for the use of the grant will be introduced, whereby the grantee will be required to present the use of the grant at the main training event of the Society. Active promotion of the grant will be used to attract funding for pain research. Grants from the Society and its partners were be available to members in early 2025. As in previous years, grants were be valued in the budget as one of the Association’s key priorities. The grants were distributed at the spring meeting in Turku.

The Society also aims to promote international cooperation in pain research. A key element in this will be a discussion on research-cooperation with the SASP.

Publishing

”Kipuviesti” (Painmessage) is again published twice a year. Kipuviesti also publishes topical articles, research results from Finnish pain researchers, Pain Congress reports on the basis of recommendations from the Committees.

Membership recruitment 

Membership recruitment will be intensified by increasing the visibility and image of the association. The Association’s brand ambassador will be used to raise the image and improve visibility. Membership will be sought from the Association’s Board.

The Board of the Association and Committees 

The Association board is responsible for planning the activities of the Association and coordinating the implementation of the activities for the period 2025. The following committees will continue to assist the Board of Directors in the implementation of the Association’s activities: the Acute Pain, Specialist, Physiotherapy, Nursing, Facial Pain, Pain Communication, Children and Adolescent Pain, Medical, Neuromodulation, Psychology, Art Therapy and Research Committees. The Cancer Pain Committee and the Social Influence Committee are on hiatus. The Committees’ plans for 2025 are attached. It is hoped that the Committees will recruit additional members in 2025.

International cooperation

Efforts are being made to further intensify with EFIC and the Scandinavian ASP. Discussions will continue on the interfaces beteween SASP and SKTY and we are looking for opportunities to develop cooperration. This will include a evualiation on the possibility and the need to integrate the activities of the Finnish Pain Society (SKTY) into those of SASP. SKTY member can suscribe to the Scandinavian Journal of Pain at the member rate.

Partners/Sponsors

For the period 2025, the Society does not currently have designated main partners as in many other countriers such as Germany or Austria. The dificulty of finding partners has proved to be a major challenge for education and networking activities. The aim for 2025 is to identify a lead partner. 

Maybe we can benefit from ideas from chapters of other countries to recruit sponsors and partners.