Gaston Labat Award

The Gaston Labat Award Committee annually seeks nominations from the ASRA Pain Medicine membership for individuals who have demonstrated outstanding contributions to the development, teaching, and practice of regional anesthesia in the tradition of Louis Gaston Labat, MD (1876-1934). The Gaston Labat Lecture is presented each spring at the ASRA Pain Medicine Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting. Members are asked to nominate qualified anesthesiologists who have distinguished themselves in two of the following areas of regional anesthesia: research, teaching, or clinical practice. The emphasis of the award is to recognize those who have fostered the art and science of regional anesthesia in the tradition of Louis Gaston Labat by contribution to the performance of research that has furthered the specialty, innovative teaching traditions, organizational contributions, or simply exemplary clinical practice of regional anesthesia that has encouraged its expanded application.

Dr. Joseph Neal (middle), was given the award at the 44th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting by Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran (left) and Dr. Eugene Viscusi (right), on April 13, 2019.

Dr. Joseph Neal (middle), was given the award at the 44th Annual Regional Anesthesiology and Acute Pain Medicine Meeting by Dr. Asokumar Buvanendran (left) and Dr. Eugene Viscusi (right), on April 13, 2019.

Dr. Labat and his colleagues founded the original American Society of Regional Anesthesia in 1923, shortly after the publication of his landmark textbook of regional techniques. It should be noted that his colleagues wanted to honor Dr. Labat by calling the fledging organization the Labat Society. The first ASRA merged with the American Society of Anesthesiologists in 1939 and dissolved after the merger. The records of the early society are preserved at the Wood Library - Museum of Anesthesiology at the ASA office in Park Ridge, Illinois. The present day ASRA was refounded in 1975.

Nominees should be nationally recognized and their contributions to the subspecialty duly noted by a broad audience. The individual need not be a member of ASRA, and the receipt of previous awards from ASRA does not disqualify him or her. Current members of the Board of Directors are not eligible (see full list here). Nominations must be made using the Gaston Labat Award Nomination Form. Nominations are open throughout June.

Past Winners:

1977	John J. Bonica, MD & Daniel C. Moore, MD
1978	Sir Robert Macintosh
1979	Torsten Gordh, MD
1980	John Adriani, MD
1981	Robert Hingson, MD
1982	Alon P. Winnie, MD
1983	Peere C. Lund, MD
1984	Philip R. Bromage, MB, FFARCS, FFARCA
1985	J. Alfred Lee, MD
1986	Benjamin G. Covino, MD, PhD
1987	Nicholas Greene, MD
1988	D. Bruce Scott, MD
1989	Ronald Melzack, PhD & Patrick Wall, MD
1990	P. Prithvi Raj, MD
1991	Bertil Lofstrom, MD
1992	B. Raymond Fink, MD
1993	Sol M. Shnider, MD
1994	Phillip O. Bridenbaugh, MD
1995	Rudolph H. DeJong MD
1996	Michael J. Cousins, MD, FANZCA
1997	Gale E. Thompson, MD
1998	Stefano Ischia, MD
1999	L. Brian Ready, MD
2000	Gary R. Strichartz, PhD
2001	Cosmo A. DiFazio, MD, PhD
2002	John A.W. Wildsmith, MD, FRCA
2003	Brendan T. Finucane, MD
2004	David L. Brown, MD
2005	Henrik Kehlet, MD, PhD
2006	Dag E. Selander, MD, PhD
2007	Michael F. Mulroy, MD
2008	James C. Eisenach, MD
2009	Quinn H. Hogan, MD
2010	Narinder Rawal, MD
2011	Terese Toddie Horlocker, MD
2012	Denise J. Wedel, MD
2013	Admir Hadzic, MD, PhD
2014	Per H. Rosenberg, MD
2015	John C. Rowlingson, MD
2016	Vincent W.S. Chan, MD, FRCPC
2017	Nigel E. Sharrock, MB, ChB
2018	Alain Borgeat, MD
2019	Joseph M. Neal, MD
2020	Guy L. Weinberg, MD
2021	F. Kayser Enneking. MD