1985

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• The "Belgian Chapter" was officially established within the "International Association for the Study of Pain" (IASP), which was founded in 1973.

• The first evaluation structures and the treatment of pain appeared in Belgium in 1974. Some Belgian specialists interested in the problems of pain registered at the IASP in 1975. These members want to unite and submit the request for the formation of a Belgian Chapter within the IASP in 1982. This was officially established in 1985.​

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1991

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• The Belgian Chapter of the IASP decides to form a Non-Profit Association.

• This NPO is called the "Belgian Pain Society". It gathers, on the one hand, the members of the IASP, and, on the other hand, interested persons through the evaluation and treatment of pain in Belgium, but does not wish to be part of an international scientific association. The founding members are Messrs Hugo ADRIAENSEN, Jean-Claude DEVOGHEL, Alfred JOFFROY, Jean-Marie LIMPENS, Léon PLAGHKI and Ms Myriam ZEICHER.

• The head office is located at the Hospital Erasme in Brussels.

 

1992

 

• The Belgian Chapter of the IASP decides to form a Non-Profit Association.

• This NPO is called the "Belgian Pain Society". It gathers, on the one hand, the members of the IASP, and, on the other hand, interested persons through the evaluation and treatment of pain in Belgium, but does not wish to be part of an international scientific association. The founding members are Messrs Hugo ADRIAENSEN, Jean-Claude DEVOGHEL, Alfred JOFFROY, Jean-Marie LIMPENS, Léon PLAGHKI and Ms Myriam ZEICHER.

• The head office is located at the Hospital Erasme in Brussels.

• Thanks to the established partnership with the UPSAMEDICA laboratories, the BPS produces the first Newsletter.

• The Newsletter informs members of certain scientific advice, main publications and the program of national and international congresses. It is originally distributed at a rate of three songs per year.

 

1993

 

• The BPS actively participates in the creation of the "European Federation of IASP Chapters" (EFIC).

• This new association unites the European Chapters, members of the IASP.

 

1994

 

• The BPS opens the doors of its annual meeting to the foreign public for the first time.

• This is mainly formed by general practitioners. The topic discussed is "Surgical treatment of Lombalgie".

 

1995

 

• Creation of the working group "the pain center agreement".

• The aim is to propose criteria that can serve as a basis for the approval of structures specialized in chronic pain. A synthesis was approved in October 1995.

• BPS is organizing its first press conference on the occasion of its tenth anniversary

• The purpose of this press conference is to spread the concerns and objectives of its members to the medical press and the general public.

 

1996

 

• The Annual Meeting lasts a full day, which is divided into two parts.

• The morning, reserved for members, will be spent at workshops organized by "Special Interest Group" (SIG) on the following topics: "Acute pain", "Cancer pain", "Invasive Pain Therapy", "Nursing "," Psychology "," Rehabilitation "," Oro-facial Pain ". Open in the afternoon to the health care professional, a joint session will be held on a central theme.

 

1997

 

• An agency was elected for the first time at the General Assembly in March 1997. It ensures the ongoing management of the scientific association.

• The Scientific Committee meets several times a year. It is permanent and provides assistance for the selection of the UPSA Scientific Prize and for the elaboration of a curriculum in the field of pain.

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1998

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• Publication of the White Paper includes recommendations for the care of pain in Belgium

• This project consists of interviews, consensus meetings, and finally the drafting and dissemination of the White Paper of Pain in Belgium. An external office is contacted to lead a structured campaign. The members of the Bureau are the spokespersons for these ideas in the official bodies.

• Request to the Elders of the Faculties to improve the basic course.

• Establishment of an 8th SIG.

• His theme is the use of opioids in non-cancer chronic pain.

• Creation of a yearbook of the members.

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1999

 

• The activities of the scientific congress are also distributed to general practitioners. The goal is to involve them in the creation of a pain network.

• In some universities, the establishment of a different education branch of pain is noted.

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2001

 

• Lecture by the Minister of Social Affairs, Mr F. Vandenbroucke during the BPS symposium.

• This emphasizes the creation of a structured network for the care of chronic pain, which also includes general practitioners and who manage the patient's global file and the multidisciplinary centers for the evaluation and treatment of the pain. The role of these multidisciplinary centers would be to provide multidisciplinary advice and treatments at the request of physicians and to establish networks. It should be remembered that at the first discussion at the Insurance Committee in March 2001, doctors' representatives resisted the creation of these multidisciplinary centers.

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2002

 

• Establishment of a working group on chronic pain within the Advisory Committee on Chronic Diseases, chaired by Dr. J. Boly.

• Elaboration of a draft agreement between NIHDI and the multidisciplinary reference centers of chronic pain, according to the recommendations set out in the White Paper.

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2004

 

• NIHDI enters into agreements with nine reference centers for pain as an experiment.

• As a reminder, the initial estimate was 20 reference centers at national level. This figure has been reduced to twelve for budgetary rules and finally nine centers have met the selection criteria.

• The BPS wins the "Pfizer International Award", an amount of $ 100,000. This prize has been awarded for the project aimed at raising awareness among general practitioners of the pluridisciplinary treatment of pain. The project will be realized in early 2005.

• Change in the statutes of the BPS

• This change has largely followed the new legislation for non-profit organizations.

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2005

 

• Start of the INAMI pilot project «Multidisciplinary pain centers» on 1 May. Nine multidisciplinary centers are recognized in Belgium.

• Organization of the "First Interuniversity Course in Algology" in October 2005. This course is the result of discussion points for the elaboration of a more structured training in Algology, in line with the White Paper.

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2006

 

• Renewal of the BPS office and the decision to improve communication with members.

• Renewal of the look (different logo), new website, continuous communications with members via "express email".

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2007

 

• Reactivation of the Chronic Pain Working Group amid the Advisory Committee on Chronic Diseases. The criteria are extended for the recognition and operation of second-line centers.

• Preparation of the global text with the title: "project for the claim of Chronic Pain in Belgium". This text was distributed to the official authorities.

• Publication of the new nomenclature for interventional techniques in algology in the Belgian Official Gazette.

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2009

 

• The Federal Public Service of Public Health launches two pilot projects in consultation with the BPS: The algological function (half-time nurses in 73 hospitals) and the multidisciplinary working groups (half-time psychologists in 36 hospitals).

• An inter-university research team was mandated by the ministry to evaluate the current situation and make proposals for the future.

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2011

 

• The interuniversity research team submits a consensus report that contains several recommendations for a financial structure of the working groups of chronic pain in Belgium.

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2012

 

• A symposium organized by the BPS and SPF public health brings together numerous stakeholders in algology in Belgium to discuss the future.

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2013

 

• De 3 pilootprojecten die hierboven beschreven werden halen hun deadline op 30 juni. Ten gevolge van het consensusrapport en de onderhandelingen tussen de BPS en de FOD volksgezondheid , gingen er op 1 juli nieuwe pilootprojecten van start. Multidisciplinaire algologische teams worden in alle ziekenhuizen opgericht. 36 multidisciplinaire centra, voornamelijk  bestaande uit 3.8 ETP non-medici, werden opgericht.

• Het nieuwe bestuur van de BPS stelt een nieuwe, interactievere website voor, om de communicatie tussen de leden te vergemakkelijken.

• De Professional Interest Groups (PIGs) worden gevormd.

• The 3 pilot projects described above meet their deadline on June 30. As a result of the consensus report and the negotiations between the BPS and the FPS public health, new pilot projects started on 1 July. Multidisciplinary algological teams are established in all hospitals. 36 multidisciplinary centers, mainly consisting of 3.8 ETP non-medics, were established.

• The new BPS board proposes a new, more interactive website to facilitate communication between members.

• The Professional Interest Groups (PIGs) are formed.