Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 18: The 10th International Conference on Recent Advances in Pain (ICRAPAIN 2026) concluded successfully in Kolkata, bringing together more than 600 pain professionals for three days of scientific lectures, panel discussions, research presentations, masterclasses and practical education.
Held from September 3–6, 2026, the conference was organized by Daradia Pain Foundation with Daradia: The Pain Clinic, Kolkata, under the theme “From Evidence to Practice: Shaping the Future of Pain Medicine.”
The scientific programme covered a broad spectrum of contemporary pain medicine, including musculoskeletal ultrasound, radiofrequency procedures, neuromodulation, spine interventions, neuropathic and nociplastic pain, cancer pain, artificial intelligence and Pain Biologics and regenerative medicine.
ICRAPAIN 2026 also placed strong emphasis on research, with 52 scientific abstracts, including 42 delegate submissions and 10 faculty abstracts. The conference encouraged clinicians and young researchers to move beyond procedural learning toward evidence-based clinical reasoning, patient selection and scientific enquiry.
Post-conference feedback reflected strong participant satisfaction. Among 81 respondents, both the overall conference and scientific programme received average ratings of 9.22/10, while the Live Pain Biologics Workshop received 9.63/10. A detailed report on the scientific programme, participant feedback and highlights is available in the ICRAPAIN 2026 Conference Report and Feedback.
Pain Biologics and New Directions in Knee Osteoarthritis
One of the areas attracting considerable scientific interest was the evolving role of Pain Biologics and non-surgical treatment of knee osteoarthritis.
Lectures and discussions explored Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP), Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate (BMAC), mesenchymal stromal cells and phenotype-based approaches to osteoarthritis management.
The scientific programme also discussed Ciplostem, an allogeneic bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell therapy developed by Stempeutics Research and marketed in India by Cipla. Ciplostem has received approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) for selected patients with Grade II and Grade III knee osteoarthritis.
The discussion focused on evidence, appropriate patient selection, joint preservation and the potential role of regenerative therapies within a broader strategy for the non-surgical management of knee osteoarthritis.
Ahead of the main conference, a dedicated pre-conference Live Pain Biologics Workshop provided practical exposure to regenerative interventions. A live Ciplostem procedure was demonstrated during the workshop, enabling participating physicians to discuss technique, evidence, safety and clinical selection in a practical setting.
Daradia has subsequently published a comprehensive evidence-based resource explaining Ciplostem for Knee Osteoarthritis, Non-Surgical Treatment and Alternatives to Knee Replacement, including its regulatory status, clinical evidence, patient selection, safety and comparisons with PRP and BMAC.
The organizers emphasized that emerging biologic therapies should be evaluated through evidence rather than enthusiasm alone, with treatment individualized according to disease stage, biomechanics, symptoms, function and patient expectations.
Following its landmark 10th edition, ICRAPAIN will continue its focus on scientific education, research, innovation, practical training and responsible translation of emerging technologies into pain practice.
About the Organizers:
ICRAPAIN is organized by Daradia Pain Foundation with Daradia: The Pain Clinic, Kolkata, with a focus on pain medicine education, research, physician training and international academic collaboration.