UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

American Pain Society

Banner for first issue of the American Pain Society's newsletter, APS Bulletin, 1991

John Bonica (left; 2nd IASP President, 1978-1981) and Pope John Paul II, 1987

Following the Issaquah Symposium of 1973, two pain societies were founded in the United States: an existing informal group in the New York area incorporated as the Eastern Pain Association under the leadership of Berthold Wolff and John Liebeskind organized the Western Pain Society on the Pacific Coast. In 1977, Wolff and John Bonica called a meeting of representatives from both societies at the Chicago airport; East and West agreed to merge and form the American Pain Society (APS), which incorporated 8 August 1978 in Washington DC as a not-for-profit educational and scientific organization and held its first annual meeting in San Diego, California, in September 1979. Despite some financial difficulties in early years, the APS today is thriving, with more than 3600 members representing 30 different field. The Society’s journal, The Journal of Pain (formerly known as Pain Forum), highlights current controversies and issues worthy of debate in the field. Among the pain leaders who have served as President are Ronald Dubner,

Wilbert Fordyce, Kathleen Foley, John Liebeskind, Richard Sternbach, and William Sweet.

John Loeser, 7th IASP President (1993-1996)

“The Rattle Raven was an important ceremonial object among North American Pacific Coast Native Americans. The Raven was a mythological hero/trickster who stole daylight from the Chief of Heaven, marking the beginning of the world, humankind, and consciousness. The reclining human/bear exchanging a tongue with a frog represented a shamanistic transfer of spiritual and healing powers.”--Description of the logo (designed by Just Imagine!) for the 4th World Congress on Pain (Seattle, Washington, 1984)

Chapter Exhibit Panel (PDF version) 9th World Congress on Pain (Vienna, 1999)
IASP United States Chapter information (mailing address, officers, meetings, journal, etc.)
IASP United States Chapter homepage

IASP Online Archives
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/biomed/iasp/