BANGKOK, Oct 30 — Malaysian physician Dr Mary Suma Cardosa has made history as the first Asian to become president of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) in the organisation’s more than 50-year history.
Cardosa assumed the two-year presidency, which runs until 2028, at the closing of the 2026 World Congress on Pain in Bangkok on Friday, succeeding Andrew Rice of the United Kingdom.
In a statement issued by IASP, she said her presidency would focus on advancing pain science, strengthening healthcare education and improving access to effective pain management worldwide.
“Pain affects people in every country, but access to effective pain care remains profoundly unequal,” she said, highlighting the importance of education, stronger clinical services and multidisciplinary cooperation.
