In modern healthcare, stigma remains one of the most pervasive and overlooked barriers to effective care. Despite advances in medical science, stigma—rooted in fear, misunderstanding, and bias — continues to impact patient outcomes, hinder treatment, and erode trust between healthcare providers and the communities they serve. This theme, ‘Stigma - The Real Disease in Medicine’ , aims to challenge healthcare professionals to confront and dismantle these harmful biases within the medical field.

Stigma in medicine can manifest in many forms: mental health, racial/ethnic stigma, substance use disorders, HIV, obesity, and even socio-economic status. Patients who experience stigma often face discrimination, delayed treatment, and, in some cases, avoid seeking care altogether. Stigmatised conditions can be wrongly attributed to personal failings, which detracts from their biological and social determinants. Furthermore, stigma within healthcare settings perpetuates health disparities, particularly for marginalised communities such as racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and the economically disadvantaged. We can’t be oblivious to the fact that stigma doesn’t just affect patients, but also us as future doctors. It impacts career paths, our ability to relate to and empathise with patients, and a safe and harmonious workplace culture. This sub-committee will focus on addressing the root causes and effects of stigma, creating education and advocacy initiatives to reduce stigma in healthcare systems, and developing actionable solutions to ensure that care is delivered with compassion, dignity, and respect for all patients. Our goal is to reframe stigmatised conditions as medical issues deserving of understanding and empathy, while advocating for systemic change.