EPA-EUFAS joint symposium in Madrid 2025

During the EPA congress in Madrid 2025 EPA and EUFAS held a joint symposium on ICD-11 and addiction diagnostics. The ICD-11 was introduced in January 2022. In chapter 6 “Mental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental disorders” we find the section “Disorders due to substance use and addictive behaviors” (section 6C4). Changes from the ICD-10 in this section include broadening the categories of harmful use and dependence (resulting in more people receiving a diagnosis), including more types of substances, and the addition of more behavioral addictions (gaming disorder). These changes have been discussed and debated. The fact that ICD-11 has continued and expanded on ICD-10 in diagnosing secondary substance-induced mental disorders has received less attention. The symposium was well attended and collaboration between EUFAS and EPA continues.

First vice-President of EUFAS Jørgen G. Bramness, together with the head of the addiction chapter of EPA Sophie Acab and Professor John Saunders, who led the work for WHO on ICD-11 addiction diagnostics