Pain Medicine: a long journey: 50° anniversario del Primo Congresso IASP a Firenze
12-13 settembre 2025
The fiftieth anniversary of the first world congress on Pain Medicine (IASP congress) offers a significant opportunity to increase awareness among doctors and patients about this critical issue. The ‘Fondazione Paolo Procacci’ sought to participate in this occasion, requesting support from the ‘Fondazione Menarini’ - a key institution dedicated to advancing various scientific aspects of medicine - for organizing a commemorative event. The proposal was swiftly accepted due to the topic’s critical importance. We then reached out to potential speakers interested in contributing to this important congress from both scientific and social perspectives. Initially, we contacted the President of the IASP to recognize the significance of that first groundbreaking event. The enthusiastic response from the faculty marked the first undeniable success of our proposal.
The scientific program, designed from a “meet the expert” perspective, allocates each speaker 30 minutes to discuss the key aspects that have guided their research careers from both historical and scientific viewpoints. We ensured the participation of speakers covering the historical evolution of Pain Medicine.
We are especially grateful to those who accepted our invitation, notably John Loeser, for sharing pioneering insights into the scientific foundations of pain study.
Only by fully appreciating the roots of this field can we understand how the pathophysiology and therapy of pain have evolved. Many of us have witnessed the rapid scientific advancements in this branch of medicine, which Descartes initially approached rudimentarily, but which has experienced fantastic growth over the last five decades, allowing for a significantly improved understanding and treatment of patients suffering from pain.
Through this commemorative event, we aim to summarize the essential aspects of scientific evolution, leaving an important legacy for new generations and encouraging them to pursue a path of cultural advancement that will, we hope, one day lead to the eradication of one of humanity’s greatest challenges: PAIN.
Giustino Varrassi and Pierangelo Geppetti
Programme
