Eastern Pain Association

The Eastern Pain Association (EPA) is a regional organization of pain specialists including physicians, psychologists, nurses, and basic scientists dedicated to promoting clinical care, pain-related research, education and professional practice.

History

In 1964 Dr. B. Berthold Wolff and Dr. Thomas G. Kantor started an informal New York Pain Group, which met monthly at the NYU Medical Center. About 30 pain clinicians and researchers from the Greater New York Metropolitan area began to meet to discuss various pain-related research projects and clinical topics. Following the formation of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) in 1973, Dr. John J. Bonica recommended to Dr. Wolff that the group be enlarged to include the New England States, with the additional participation of the Middle Atlantic and Southern States. Dr. Wolff formed the Eastern Pain Association in 1974, which included all states east of the Rockies. In 1975, the Eastern Pain Association (EPA) became one of the first chapters of the IASP.

Meetings

The EPA offers local and regional scientific meetings to foster an exchange of clinical and scientific information among multidisciplinary health professionals and researchers interested in the field of pain. In 1979 the EPA established the John J. Bonica Award and Lecture, given annually that honors Dr. Bonica. To date, over twenty awards have been made to distinguished and outstanding recipients such as Patrick D. Wall (1979), Ronald Melzack (1982), B. Berthold Wolff (1991), Tony L. Yaksh (1993), Michael J. Cousins (1995) and many others.

The Annual EPA Scientific Meeting held in attractive venues such as the New York Hilton, routinely offers symposia and lectures given by nationally recognized speakers, posters and exhibits that are designed to appeal to a wide spectrum of specialists and interests.

The EPA scientific meetings are complementary to the national and international meetings and offer members the opportunity of networking with local colleagues and keeping abreast of current developments.