THE CANADIAN PAIN SOCIETY

Name

THE CANADIAN PAIN SOCIETY

Legal name

The Canadian Pain Society

Website

https://canadianpainsociety.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Canadian Pain Society is a non-profit professional society and IASP chapter founded in 1974, serving Canadian pain researchers, healthcare professionals, people with lived experience, and trainees through educational programming, an annual scientific meeting, peer-reviewed journal, and advocacy for the 8 million Canadians living with chronic pain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Medical Professional Society and Association Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Pain Medicine (Interventional/Neuropathic Pain) (HLAKAIAM)

Keywords

• Pain research society
• Medical professional membership
• Pain education programs
• Healthcare advocacy association
• Scientific conference organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees collected from healthcare professionals, scientists, researchers, trainees, and people with lived experience. Pricing follows a band system based on income level, ranging from $50/year for trainees and low-income members to $300/year for high-income professionals.
2. Annual Scientific Meeting Registration: Revenue generated from registration fees for the Annual Scientific Meeting, which attracts pain researchers, clinicians, trainees, and industry exhibitors. The 2025 meeting offers various registration tiers including one-day tickets and full conference access.
3. Awards and Grants Program: The society administers awards and grants including Distinguished Career Award, Early Career Award, Trainee Research Awards, and Early Career Investigation Research Grants. While many awards provide recognition rather than direct revenue, some include travel funding and complimentary registration.
4. Exhibitor Sponsorship: The Annual Scientific Meeting generates revenue through exhibitor booth fees, sponsorships (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze tiers), and symposia partnerships with pharmaceutical and medical device companies.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Canadian Pain Society operates as a national multidisciplinary professional membership organization delivering pain research, education, and advocacy services. Core offerings include an Annual Scientific Meeting, monthly National Pain Rounds webinars, the peer-reviewed Canadian Journal of Pain, Special Interest Groups, and tiered membership programs serving Canadian healthcare professionals, researchers, trainees, and people with lived experience of pain.

Product overview

The Canadian Pain Society operates as a professional membership organization rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings consist of programs and services including the Annual Scientific Meeting (annual conference on pain research), National Pain Rounds (monthly virtual educational sessions), The Canadian Journal of Pain (peer-reviewed open access journal), Special Interest Groups (SIGs), People with Lived Experience Program, Quarterly eNews publication, Awards and Grants Program, Educational Opportunities (webinars and workshops), Membership Program (with income-based tiered pricing), Exhibitor Program, and the Canadian Spine Intervention Guideline. These programs work together to advance pain research, education, and advocacy across Canada.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) Annual conference bringing together scientists, healthcare professionals, patients, trainees, and policy makers to exchange information on pain mechanisms, assessment, and management. The 46th ASM takes place May 1-4, 2025 in Toronto with plenaries, poster sessions, symposia, and community events.
• National Pain Rounds Monthly virtual discussion platform connecting scientists, health professionals, educators, and pain advocates to discuss topics related to chronic pain, held on the last Friday of every month. Includes professional sessions, trainee-specific sessions, and CALiPER Rounds.
• The Canadian Journal of Pain Open access, internationally peer-reviewed journal covering cutting-edge research in pain science including basic science, multidisciplinary clinical research, and implementation science. CPS members benefit from reduced open access page charges.
• Special Interest Groups (SIGs) Groups including Interventional Pain, Neuropathic Pain, Interprofessional Pain Management, Medicolegal SIG, and Canadian Neuromodulation Society that meet during the Annual Scientific Meeting and engage in activities throughout the year.
• People with Lived Experience (PWLE) Program Program integrating individuals with lived pain experience into research, education, and community building activities, including the PWLE Committee and PWLE Leadership Award.
• Membership Program Multi-tiered membership program with income-based pricing (Bands A-E from $50 to $300 CAD annually), trainee membership, and out-of-country options, providing access to educational resources, networking, awards, and the Canadian Journal of Pain.
• Exhibitor and Sponsorship Program Program enabling industry partners to showcase products and services at the Annual Scientific Meeting, with various sponsorship tiers including Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze levels.
• Awards and Grants Program Program recognizing individuals who have positively influenced pain research, management, education, or advocacy, including Distinguished Career Award, Early Career Award, Distinguished Service Award, Trainee Research Awards, Equity Trainee Research Award, and Early Career Investigation Research Grants.
• Canadian Spine Intervention Guideline National guideline for Canadian healthcare providers on spinal pain intervention procedures, developed collaboratively with the National Pain Centre of McMaster University.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 8 million Canadians affected by chronic pain (1 in 5 Canadians)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Canadian Pain Society is a chapter of IASP, the leading global organization supporting the study and practice of pain and pain relief. IASP brings together scientists, clinicians, health care providers, and policymakers worldwide. This affiliation provides the Canadian society with international recognition, access to global pain research networks, and alignment with world congress activities including the 2026 World Congress on Pain in Bangkok.
• British Pain SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe British Pain Society is the oldest and largest multidisciplinary professional organisation in the field of pain within the UK. Past conjoint meetings have been held (Halifax 1985; Edinburgh 2011). Both societies share commitment to advancing pain understanding and management through professional collaboration.
• American Association of Pain Medicine (AAPM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAAPM is dedicated to advancing multidisciplinary pain care, education, advocacy, and research. The partnership focuses on transforming pain care through interdisciplinary collaboration. Joint initiatives include PainConnect, a patient-centered approach to pain care.
• United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSASP represents scientists nationwide who collaboratively research, diagnose, and treat pain in the United States. The partnership brings together diverse perspectives on pain science to directly improve the lives of people with pain.
• Korean Pain SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Korean Pain Society is recognized by the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences with 5,800 members. They publish textbooks, clinical practice guidelines, and an SCIE journal. The partnership focuses on enhancing education and fostering international engagement in pain research.
• Pain CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPain Canada was created in response to Health Canada's 2021 report 'An Action Plan for Pain in Canada.' It serves as home-base for the eight million people in Canada living with chronic pain and creates new opportunities for action by connecting people, ideas, organizations, and resources. Joint initiatives include travel scholarships for people with lived experience to attend the Annual Scientific Meeting.
• Chronic Pain Network (CPN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Chronic Pain Network is part of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and collaborates with the Canadian Pain Society on research initiatives. The CPS-CPN joint meeting focuses on improving design and conduct of clinical trials in chronic pain.
• Quebec Pain Research Network (QPRN)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerQPRN collaborates on pain research initiatives in Quebec and participates in the Annual Scientific Meeting. Part of the collaborative network of pain research organizations across Canada.
• Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerSKIP is a national pain management organization that works to improve the lives of children and families dealing with chronic pain. Partnered through the Annual Scientific Meeting and pain awareness initiatives.
• Chronic Pain Centre of Excellence for Canadian Veterans (CPCoE)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPCoE focuses on chronic pain management for Canadian veterans. Sapphire level exhibitor at Annual Scientific Meeting, supporting veteran-focused pain care initiatives.
• Michael G. DeGroote InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered through exhibitor support and research collaboration at the Annual Scientific Meeting.
• University of Toronto Centre for the Study of Pain (UTCSP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUTCSP is a key institutional partner hosting the 2025 Annual Scientific Meeting. The center focuses on advancing pain research and education as an academic hub within Canada's largest university.
• Toronto Academic Pain Medicine Institute (TAPMI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTAPMI is the comprehensive interdisciplinary academic pain program serving as the hub for chronic pain care in Toronto. Dr. Tania Di Renna, CPS President, serves as Medical Director.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Pain Canada: Pain Canada was created in response to Health Canada's Action Plan for Pain in Canada and is a close organizational partner of the CPS, including joint ASM travel scholarships for people with lived experience. It is an emerging patient-and-policy-focused peer in the same Canadian pain ecosystem.
• Chronic Pain Association of Canada: Chronic Pain Association of Canada is a national patient-advocacy organization with overlapping PWLE-oriented mission and Canadian focus. It is an emerging player that complements the CPS's clinical/research orientation rather than competing directly for clinician members.

Regional players

• Korean Pain Society: The Korean Pain Society is a formally recognized multidisciplinary pain society with ~5,800 members, publishing textbooks, CPGs, and an SCIE journal. It is a regional peer with a comparable membership-publication-meeting model.
• Australian Pain Society: The Australian Pain Society is the peak Australian body for pain professionals, running an annual scientific meeting and multidisciplinary SIGs in a near-identical model to the CPS. It is a strong regional peer rather than a direct competitor given geography.

Broad incumbents

• American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine (ASRA): ASRA is a US-based multidisciplinary society whose chronic-pain and interventional-pain programming overlaps with the CPS's Interventional Pain SIG. It is a broader clinical/procedural incumbent with adjacent rather than identical focus.
• International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP): IASP is the global umbrella organization for pain research and practice; the Canadian Pain Society is a chapter of IASP. IASP operates the World Congress on Pain and similar educational programs, making it the most directly comparable global parent peer.
• European Pain Federation (EFIC): EFIC is the European multidisciplinary pain federation convening clinicians, researchers, and educators across Europe. It parallels the CPS in mission and is an adjacent peer at the continental level, comparable via shared educational and advocacy programming.

Direct peers

• United States Association for the Study of Pain (USASP): USASP is the US scientific society dedicated to pain research, with formal partnership with CPS. It is a direct research-focused peer with overlapping journal, meeting, and grant programs.
• British Pain Society: The British Pain Society is the oldest and largest multidisciplinary pain professional organization in the UK and has held conjoint meetings with the CPS (Halifax 1985, Edinburgh 2011). Comparable structure, audience, and programming model make it a near-twin peer.
• American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM): AAPM is the leading US multidisciplinary professional society for pain medicine, with overlapping educational programming, advocacy, and industry partnerships. It is a close functional peer that competes for international members, sponsors, and journal submissions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/CanadianPain
• Facebookfacebook.com/CanadianPain
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/canadian-pain-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/canadianpainsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about THE CANADIAN PAIN SOCIETY