Response From World Health Organization (WHO): ICD-11

WHO REVERSES DEMENTIA TO THE CHAPTER OF MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL DISORDERS IN ICD-11[RMA1]

As previously reported, the WHO proposed for all categories related to dementia to be categorized in the ICD-11 chapter on Diseases of the Nervous System.

IPA joined a large number of international scientific and professional associations protesting the initiative. Prominent leaders of the IPA contacted leaders of the process of development of ICD-11 and the president of the IPA sent a letter of complaint to the director of the WHO Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, detailing the reasons against such an initiative. IPA also contacted affiliated associations and encouraged them to express their concern to the national representatives of the WHO in their country.

We are very pleased to make known to the whole psychogeriatric community that these efforts have been successful and the WHO has reversed its decision. This is formally added to the IPA President in the recently received WHO response letter. Click to see the IPA letter as well as the response from WHO.

In brief, “the current version of ICD-11 categorizes dementia in the chapter on Mental and Behavioural Disorders”.

This decision we are delighted, but above all, we reaffirmed in our mission, and confirms the urgent need for the IPA to continue to exist as an autonomous association, dedicated to improving the mental health of older people and their caregivers around the world.

Yours sincerely,

Raimundo Mateos, MD
President, International Psychogeriatric Association; Professor of Psychiatry, Coordinator of the Psychogeriatric Unit; University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain