Adrian Gelb on Neuroanesthesia, Global Patient Safety, and WFSA-WHO International Standards

At the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2025 meeting in San Antonio, TopMedTalk hosts Andy Cumpstey and Kate Leslie interviewed Professor of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care at University of California, San Francisco, Adrian Gelb, this year's Ellison Pierce Lecturer. Dr Gelb recounts training in South Africa, work in England and Canada, and how he was steered into neuroanesthesia at a high-volume cerebral aneurysm center, becoming engaged by understanding surgical outcomes and encouraging trainees to learn the operative field. He describes developing global health interests, joining the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) through Alan Merry and others, and progressing from the patient safety committee to WFSA president. Gelb outlines updating WFSA standards with WHO involvement, emphasizing additive "minimum" requirements (e.g., oxygenation and pulse oximetry) and clarifying differences among policies, guidelines, and legally binding standards, urging implementation-focused sequencing. He also highlights AI's potential to advance decision-making, documentation, data, and feedback. -- Join us at Evidence Based Perioperative Medicine (EBPOM) World Congress 2026 in London. Be part of a global conversation as clinicians from around the world gather between 7-9th July at the British Library in London. Three days of evidence-based perioperative medicine, global insights, and expert debate—featuring speakers including Michael Marmot and Ken Rockwood. Register here - https://ebpom.org/product/ebpom-world-congress-2026/