The Story goes back to April 16, 1998, when 25 physician representatives from 11 countries, from North and South America, Europe, and Asia, met in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA to develop an international collaboration to promote the role of addiction medicine in addressing the problems of alcohol and drug abuse. At that meeting, they discussed their respective and common needs about this joint effort and considered options for an organizational structure that would allow them to address those needs. 

They created the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) as a global organization committed to the advancement of knowledge about addiction medicine. Now with an aggregate membership of around 15,000 practitioners globally working in the field of addiction medicine, ISAM spreads knowledge and practice all over the globe. ISAM is affiliated with more than 35 Affiliated Societies and Organizations all over the world. Since its establishment, ISAM has offered its Congress annually in different parts of the world to better reach people and communities. 

ISAM’s vision is to support and empower a competent and qualified workforce, through evidence-based educational and other training opportunities, to be able to contribute to providing quality service to individuals with complex needs. ISAM puts social responsibility at the heart of its strategic agenda with innovation, respect, excellence, equity, professionalism, and diversity as its core values. 

Addiction medicine is conceptualized as an encompassing terminology that captures all psychological and physical related conditions and consequences that are attributed to all types  of pharmacological and non-pharmacological addictions. 

ISAM’s ethos is firmly focused on the need to work in multidisciplinary and multi-professional systems of care that are required to support and sustain effective clinical pathways to serve our vulnerable patients. 

This year, ISAM 2024 Istanbul, as ISAM 26^th World Congress, will convene in the beautiful city of Istanbul, Turkey under the theme: Building Bridges: Addiction and Recovery. 

On behalf of my colleagues in the ISAM Family, Board of Directors, Committees, and Office, I would like to thank the Addiction Psychiatry Foundation of Türkiye led by Dr. Rabia Bilici and all the individuals who are working tirelessly to make such an event not just a reality but also a success. 

Hamad Al Ghafri
ISAM President