The European Pain Federation EFIC is pleased to share recent news and updates from our national chapters below.
Spain
20th National Congress of the Spanish Pain Society SED
Place: Palacio de Congresos y Exposiciones León (Spain)
Date: 29, 30 y 31 de mayo de 2024
Hasthag: #SEDOLOR24
Register: https://sedleon2024.com/inscripciones/
We propose a modern and innovative scientific program aimed at both young congressmen and the more experienced ones, analyzing recent progress in pain research, advances in treatments, controversies, and better-defined evidence. Prominent national and international figures, as well as emerging young talent, will be part of our team of speakers.
The scientific and organizing committees of the congress are committed to the training of younger generations in daily practice, and for the first time, we present practical workshops on neurostimulation and intrathecal infusion implants on cadavers.
Another novelty in the pre-congress courses will be the possibility of attending a practical workshop on the use of opioids. In addition to the well-known radiofrequency course, clinical cases, round tables, symposiums, and keynote lectures will allow us to learn and discuss what concerns us: the patient with pain and their environment. And of course, patients will also have a voice in the program.
The SED Tech section will incorporate sessions on artificial intelligence as an aid to the diagnosis and treatment of pain, immersive virtual reality, and augmented reality for training and better patient care.
UK
Dear friends and colleagues,
The British Pain Society welcomes the final opportunity of 2023 to provide an update on our recent, current and future works which we hope will be of significant interest to the EFIC community.
Our Scientific Programme Committee has been busy planning the next BPS Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held in Nottingham on 4th – 6th June 2024. We are creating an exciting programme that represents and promotes the multiple facets of pain management. The plenary and keynote lectures are now nearly finalised. Highlights include:
The Patrick Wall lecture, which will be given by Professor Tony Pickering, University of Bristol.
The British Pain Society lecture will be delivered by Professor Amanda C de C Williams, University College London.
We are delighted to announce that the ASM will be immediately preceded on 3rd June 2024 by a SIG Preconference created jointly by the Primary & Community Care and Pain Management Programme SIGs.
Posters are always a great way to present your work and to have the opportunity to discuss with colleagues and other delegates. The call for poster abstract submissions has been announced and the deadline for submission is Monday 15th January 2024. Key information is available on the BPS webpage here.
This leads nicely onto our refresh of the BPS website which has a clean, attractive and more corporate appearance that offers improved user-friendliness and easier navigation to content. We are currently working on the next phase of content review – please keep checking in on the site to see our progress and offer constructive feedback.
As mutual advocates, the Canadian Pain Society (CPS) and The British Pain Society have recently partnered to collaboratively promote education, research, and training for healthcare providers and people living with pain. Through varying educational offerings, we have committed to share resources that enhance the professional development of our members along with public awareness to effectuate change –watch this space for developments in 2024.
We have held a successful webinar on Nutrition and Chronic Pain Management. Bookings are now open for our next BPS webinar: Placebo Controlled Trials in Surgery and Physical or Psychological Pain Management, taking place on January 10th, 2024 (18:30 GMT). Secure your place here
The Interventional Pain Medicine SIG Conference on Recent Advances attracted substantial interest and was a stimulating and informative event, providing a platform for sharing knowledge, discussing advancements, and networking with leading professionals in the field of interventional pain medicine.
Finally, may we wish you and yours a happy and peaceful end to 2023 and offer you kind wishes for 2024
Finland
Dear friends and colleagues,
2023 was a very busy year for the Finnish pain society. After the management largely changed and became significantly younger and more multidisciplinary, it received a significant boost in activity.
After the corona recession, we were all very happy about it.
This year a total of two SIG were founded (neuromodulation SIG, Art therapy SIG) and 2the “pain” pharmacist are planning their own subgroup for 2024.
The association´s main (hybrid )congress event and annual meeting were organized in March 2023.
On the first day, the theme was: problematic opioid? On the second day, trauma and pain.
In autumn we organized the acute and cancer pain management days on November 9-10 as multiprofesional collaboration training event.
In this context, the autumn meeting of the association was usually also organized.
In addition, pediatric and neuromodulation SIG`s had their own very successful events.
We were in contact with SIP Finland. And intensification of cooperation is planned for 2024.
The reactivation of the SIG on social influence is a great hope. Unfortunately, there is still no progress in the introduction of ICD-11.
The Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain (SASP) will hold there 2024 congress in Helsinki (Pain throughout the lifetime, 22-24.5. 2024, www.sasp.org). This congress focus is on shift the nature of pain in different age-groups from neonates to elderly, with updates on the role of plasticity, sleep, and the glymphatic system in pain.
Our pain chapter will support this event.
On task for 2024 is to make EFIC as an organization more visible to our members.
In the future, EFIC`s opportunities such education platform, pain academy, pain school and the EFIC pain exam can be used better by our members. An article is planned for this in our magazine “kipuviesti”, which appears twice a year.
There are still a lot of new plans but mor about them in the next newsletter.
We wish ourselves and our loved ones health and a peaceful end to 2023 and best wishes for 2024.
Slovakia
Dear colleagues,
allow me to inform you about upcoming Pain medicine conference next year, XXV. Czech -Slovak Dialogues on Pain, which is going to be held in 3th – 5th of October 2024, in capital of Slovakia, in Bratislava.
It is a joint conference, of both – Slovak and Czech Pain Societies for Study and Treatment of Pain, our the most important symposium of the year.
Just for explanation – Slovak and Czech Pain Societies held their own separated symposia annually and once a year they organize Joint Conference together, either in Slovakia or in Czech Republic.
Next year, 2024, it is our turn again, Slovak Society for Study and Treatment of Pain should organize this important event.
Conference will take place in Bratislava – Park Inn by Radison Danube Bratislava Hotel, in 3.-5.october, 2024.
The main topic of scientific programme of the congress is the theme of the Global Year Against the Pain, which in 2024 has a clear mission – to focus the attention of not only the professionals but also the public to gender differences in pain perception and gender differences.
Of course, classic but essential topics remain – research, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of chronic pain, pharmacotherapy of pain, non-cancer and cancer pain, interventional algesiology, nursing care in algesiology and palliative medicine.
As part of the scientific program, we are happy that we can also address interesting topics that we will have to deal with more and more in the near future – I am therefore very happy that we will look together at the issue of predictive, preventive and personalized medicine (PPPM) in algesiology, and lectures on Integrative health care in algesiology as well as a block on expertise – Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine will have their place in the professional program.
Traditionally, the ultrasonography workshop will also be interesting and attractive, which will theoretically but especially practically help the participants to acquire or consolidate their knowledge on how to treat chronic pain invasively.
In recent years, the nursing section at the professional forum has also enjoyed great popularity, as a nurse is an integral part of the diagnostic and treatment process for a patient with chronic pain.
You can find additional information about the congress, as well as the topics and scientific program, on the congress’s websites www.dialogyobolesti.sk or www.pain.sk.
Best Regards,
Miroslav Ferencik, MD, MBA
President of Slovak Society for Study and Treatment of Pain, Slovaki
Poland
From October 25-27, 2023, a course on thtook place in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. The course was organized by the Afriquia Foundation and conducted by members of the Polish Association for the Study of Pain (PTBB): Piotr Jakubow, Przemysław Walczuk, and Jarosław Kurak. Julia Kondracka, not affiliated with PTBB, was also present.
In Rwanda, there is currently no system for treating chronic pain, including no pain treatment clinics or palliative care units. The Rwandan authorities and society are just beginning to recognize the need for this type of medical care. The average age of Rwandans, their lifestyle, and consequently, lifestyle diseases are gradually reaching levels seen in western societies. Therefore, Jarek Kurak, a representative of the Afriquia Foundation involved in numerous medical and humanitarian projects in Rwanda, was asked for assistance in setting up the first pain treatment clinic in Rwanda.
The October workshop aimed to formally start a conversation but also to diagnose local needs and possibilities of establishing the pain treatment clinic. The project will require time, effort, and resources, including additional workshops and study visits organized by members of the PTBB.
The three-day course included lectures and workshops using ultrasonographic techniques. It was attended by several doctors working in various Rwandan hospitals, for whom the Kigali Clinical Hospital serves as a reference hospital. The lectures covered the basics of pain medicine, clinical assessment, how to identify the type and pathophysiology of pain, how to implement pharmacotherapy, invasive methods, pediatric population management, and many others.
The honorary patronage of the project was taken by the Polish Association for the Study of Pain and the Medical University of Białystok, Poland.
Switzerland
SPS ANNUAL CONGRESS 2023
Our SPS Annual Congress 2023 on November 10th, 2023 at the CHUV in Lausanne was a great success. Every seat in the auditorium was taken. The booth exhibition and the food was well received. Thanks for your participation! We are looking forward seeing you next year in November in Aarau.
CHANGE OF PRESIDENT AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The official term of office of our new President PD Dr. med. Marc R. Suter and the new composition of the Committee began on Friday, November 10, 2023. We thank PD Dr. med. Konrad Maurer for his investment over the past 6 years and are delighted that he will continue to support us in an advisory capacity as Past President for the next 3 years.
The SPS Committee is now composed as follows:
Current President – Marc Suter
Past President – Konrad Maurer
President Elect – Petra Schweinhardt
Treasurer – Andreas Gantenbein
Actuary – Nicolas Mariotti
Assessor – Chantal Berna Renella
Assessor – Andrea Berendes
Assessor – Ben Brönnimann
Assessor – Maximilien Jung
Assessor – Monika Maag
Assessor – Emanuelle Opsommer
Czech Republic
CPS (Czech Pain Society) in 2023 continues to organize intervention algesiology courses with theoretical and practical parts in the form of cadaver workshops for CPS members. Several professional conferences took place, and the biggest event was the conference Dialogues on pain organized in cooperation with Slovakia, with rich foreign active participation in Ostrava 19-21 October 2023.
