The European Medical Laser Association was founded in Locarno, Switzerland in November 1983 under the name of ELA-ML. It's initial aim was to improve co-ordination between research, development and application of lasers in medicine, surgery and dentistry at an international level.
The founding members were from seven European countries: Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain, France and Belgium. A year later, in March 1984 the name was changed to EMLA and then in June 1984 in Locarno, Switzerland the First International Congress of Laser Medicine and Surgery was organized.
There were 128 participants at the conference from eight European countries who made over 30 presentations. The intention was to offer help and international collaboration to medical doctors, biologists and physicists who were involved in research of different types of lasers and their use in medicine.
EMLA Congresses clearly demonstrate that lasers have been increasingly employed in numerous fields of medicine, surgery, dentistry and veterinary medicine and surgery. All EMLA congresses include educational hand-on courses that give medical doctors, physiotherapists, nurses and others the opportunity to learn more about the use of lasers in clinical practice. Additionally, through the valuable contribution of over 200 respectable authors from over 30 countries, the Trilogy 'Lasers in Medicine' pinpoints different effective medical use of lasers. EMLA celebrated its 20th anniversary in Moscow in October 2004.
More that 150 laser specialists from 28 countries of Europe and all continents participated at the 12-th International Congress of EMLA in conjunction with the World Association of Laser Therapy (WALT), ELA (European Laser Association), CSULM-CLS JEP (Czech Society for Use of Laser in Medicine) Laser Prague 2007.
Almost 100 original research and review articles, reflecting variety of laser applications in the medicine and biology, were presented during Laser Prague 2007 congress as oral and poster presentations.
New members of Execute Committee and new President, Anu Makela, were elected during the General Assembly of EMLA in Prague, Czech Republic, 22.09.2007.
13-th International Congress of EMLA in conjunction with EMLA Finland and MAL (Medical Acupuncture and Laser) was in Helsinki (23-24 August 2008). There were more that 200 presentations, big exhibition. Abstracts of the congress were published in the magazine Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy (ELSEVIER, ScienceDirect) as a separate issue.
14-th International Congress of EMLA was organized in Prague, Czech Republic on 20-23 May 2009, as a sister society congress of 10th International Congress of Dermatology. General Assembly approved new by-laws of the Association. General Assembly also elected members of the Parliament of EMLA from different countries.
Now EMLA is on the way of organizing a forthcoming 15-th International Congress. It will take place in Helsinki, Finland, on 20-23 August 2010.
Main topics of the coming congress are: update of basic research and clinical experience of laser therapy and photodynamic therapy of different diseases and conditions, laser application in surgery and aesthetic medicine, lasers in veterinary medicine, laser acupuncture, laser vs. LED therapy, etc. Topics how to combine laser therapy with LED therapy, electric and magnetic stimulation, as well as with the correct diet and food supplement application will be also presented.
Simultaneous translation from Russian to English, German, Finnish and back during the coming congress will break language barrier and will significantly improve communication between professionals from different countries.
EMLA is not a large organisation in terms of its membership but it has a reputation as a serious and credible partner in the laser medical community. Ambition, caring, commitment, co-operation, determination, friendship, hard work, loyalty, responsibility, professionalism, moral & ethical postulates are values worth pursuing for a better life and are set in the foundation's statute.
Diversi diversa putant - diversities that exist among the people are clearly demonstrated in the democratic and social life of EMLA. The activities of EMLA have been intensive, looking forward and expecting that the role of laser, as the light of hope in search of health and life, will always have priority over war and death. Our motto is ' virbus unitis' - only together we can achieve more and set new frontiers in the application of laser medicine for the benefit of humankind.
This history was prepared by Dr Zlatko Simunovic FMH, one of the founders of the Association, a Honorary President.

Statutes of EMLA (PDF file)