The establishment of ICMM dates back to the aftermath of World War I, when military medical leaders recognized the need for structured international cooperation. In 1920, Dr. Jules Voncken of Belgium and Captain William S. Bainbridge (US Navy) proposed forming a standing international body dedicated to military medicine. Their proposal led to the first International Congress of Military Medicine & Pharmacy in Brussels in July 1921.
That first congress gave rise to the permanent committee (then known as CPCIMPM), which evolved over decades into the CIMM / ICMM. The eight founding nations were Belgium, Brazil, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Since then, ICMM has organized over 45 world congresses, held in cities across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia. The congresses alternate with regional congresses (Pan-Arab & Maghreb, Pan-Asia Pacific, Pan-America, Pan-Africa, and Pan-Europe) to ensure accessibility and deeper regional engagement.
Past congresses have tackled everything from battlefield medicine and disaster response to the integration of emerging technologies, global public health, and the ethics and legal dimensions of conflict medicine. Each edition builds on prior work while defining new frontiers for military medical science.
The 45th Congress was held in Brisbane, Australia (22–27 September 2024), with over 1,400 participants from 73 countries attending. The 46th edition will convene in Abu Dhabi in 2026, continuing this legacy of global exchange and innovation.
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