The Harold Griffith Lecture
Can Anaesthesiologists Lead on Patient Safety Again?
Professor Adrian W. Gelb – Harold Griffith Lecturer, WCA2026
Can Anaesthesiologists Lead on Patient Safety Again?
The introduction of anaesthesia revolutionised surgery, but it remained inherently dangerous until 30–40 years ago. Anaesthesiologists demonstrated that safety standards and technology could save lives, setting in motion a trend that reshaped patient care across all of medicine. Yet those dramatic gains have largely plateaued. Standards and guidelines continue to multiply, but are commonly poorly implemented — leading clinicians to bypass or work around them. The challenge before us is addressing standards designed for work as imagined, rather than work as done.
Professor Gelb’s lecture will explore patient safety from the macro level of national systems and policy down to the micro level of the operating room, presenting practical tools and approaches to integrate standards more effectively into everyday clinical care.
We are honoured that Professor Adrian W. Gelb will deliver the Harold Griffith Lecture at WCA2026 in Marrakech, Morocco.
Professor Gelb is Distinguished Professor (Emeritus) in the Department of Anesthesia & Perioperative Care at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and a globally respected leader in anaesthesiology, neuroscience, and patient safety. A Past President of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA), he has worked extensively with WHO and international partners to expand access to safe anaesthesia worldwide.
Over a distinguished academic career spanning multiple continents, Professor Gelb has authored more than 400 publications, delivered over 400 invited lectures internationally — including 19 named lectureships — and mentored generations of clinicians and researchers. His work has shaped thinking in neuroanaesthesia, perioperative neuroscience, and safety and quality of care.
A recipient of numerous national and international honours, including the Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society Gold Medal and the American Society of Anesthesiologists Award for Humanitarian Contributions, Professor Gelb is widely recognised for his scholarship, leadership, and commitment to global collaboration.
His lecture at WCA2026 will reflect a career dedicated not only to scientific excellence, but to advancing safe anaesthesia care for patients everywhere — a fitting tribute to the legacy of Harold Griffith and a defining moment of the Congress.
Professor Gelb – Curriculum Vitae (click to expand)
Education MBChB, University of Cape Town, South Africa Anaesthesia training in the United Kingdom, Canada, and USA
Academic & Hospital Appointments
- Professor & Chair, Department of Anaesthesia, University of Western Ontario (1990–2001)
- Professor & Vice Chair, Department of Anaesthesia, University of California, San Francisco (2004–2011)
- Distinguished Professor (Emeritus), Department of Anaesthesia, UCSF (2015–present)
- Professor, Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario (1994–2004)
- Associate Scientist, Robarts Research Institute, London, Canada (1987–1997)
Society Leadership
- President, World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) (2020–2022)
- Chair, WFSA Safety and Quality of Practice Committee (2012–2016)
- Board Chair, International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS) (2003–2004)
- President, Society for Neuroscience in Anaesthesia & Critical Care (SNACC) (1996)
- President, International Society for Anesthetic Pharmacology (ISAP) (2003–2004)
- California Society of Anesthesiologists Executive Committee (2008–2015)
Academic Output
- >400 publications — original research, reviews, editorials, book chapters
- Editor of 5 books, including Essentials of Neuroanesthesia & Neurointensive Care
- H-index: 71 | Citations: ~19,000
- 390 lectureships, including 19 named lectureships and 280 international invited lectures
- Editorial board member (current and past): Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia, Anesthesia & Analgesia (Section Editor, Neuroanesthesia & Neuroscience), European Journal of Anaesthesia, Journal of Neurosurgical Anesthesiology, Brazilian Journal of Anesthesiology, and others
Mentorship
- 90 residents and students mentored or supervised
- 38 faculty mentored
Selected Honours & Awards
Honorary memberships in anaesthesia societies across Europe, Asia, and Latin America
Canadian Anesthesiologists’ Society Gold Medal for Services to Anaesthesia (2018)
American Society of Anesthesiologists Award for Humanitarian Contributions (2024)
Chinese Society of Anaesthesia Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Anaesthesia in China (2009)
Honorary Fellowship, Royal College of Anaesthetists, UK (2001)
Honorary Fellow, Chinese College of Anesthesiology (2018)
UCSF Academy of Medical Educators Award for Mentoring and Teaching (2007)
Society for Neuroscience in Anaesthesia & Critical Care Distinguished Teacher Award (2003)
Dean’s Award for Excellence in Research & Teaching, University of Western Ontario (2000)
Honorary professorships at institutions in China, India, and the United Kingdom
His lecture at WCA2026 will reflect a career dedicated not only to scientific excellence, but to advancing safe anaesthesia care for patients everywhere — a fitting tribute to the legacy of Harold Griffith and a defining moment of the Congress.
The Harold Griffith Lecture is the only named plenary at the World Congress of Anaesthesiologists. It honours the first President of WFSA, Dr Harold Griffith from Canada, who served from 1955 to 1960, taking office at the first WCA held in Scheveningen, Netherlands in 1955.
Previous Harold Griffith Lecturers have included:
- Tore Laerdal and Atul Gawande (2016, Hong Kong)
- Christina Maslach and Edna Adan Ismail (2021, Virtual Congress)
- Jannicke Mellin-Olsen and Kevin Fong (2024, Singapore)
The Harold Griffith Lecture is a highlight of every World Congress and a moment of reflection and inspiration for the global anaesthesiology community. It celebrates visionary figures whose work resonates beyond medicine to influence society and global health.