Australian Pain Society Newsletter
Editor’s Note
Joanne Harmon
For 2025 the IASP theme is the global year focus on Pain Management, Research and Education in Low- and Middle-Income Settings.
Start planning your year and ensure you have registered for the 45th Australian Pain Society (APS) Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) before the early bird deadline. We are all off to the traditional land of the Bunurong people at the Pullman Melbourne Hotel in Albert Park in Melbourne this year. Such a lovely place in Autumn. As always, the conference does have a great social program in place. In particular the ‘Meet the Minds Q&A and Networking Session’ where you can pick the brains of pain leaders in all things relating to research and clinical practice. There is always such a variety of workshops to attend as well, at times it is hard to pick which ones to attend. With 24 topical sessions, this year promises to be a cracker of an event.
Want to catch up but cannot wait until the 45th APS ASM? Then check out the Brisbane APS social networking event on the 27 February 2025. Drop in and have a chat, meet new collegues and find out what is happening in your state/areas.
Dust off your new year resolution lists and consider adding some more from our FYI list. Here you will find numerous resources at your fingertips.
If your new year’s resolution was to update your reading list, we have got you covered in this newsletter. Our recent publications provide short summaries and links to papers on chronic pain, a call to action on enhancing the trustworthiness of pain research, and a paper on functional improvement following total knee arthroplasty. Please do let us know about your recent publications so we can share your work with our members.
We send our congratulations to Professor Paul Glare for his recognition in the 2025 Australia Day awards.
Tell us about your role as a pain care health professional. We want to hear from you. Email us to complete a short painless interview (pun intended).
Looking forward to having a great year.
Joanne Harmon Assistant Editor
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CO-CONVENORS’ MESSAGE
A/Prof Nik Veldhuis and Prof Jason Ivanusic
The Australian Pain Society is thrilled to welcome you back to Melbourne for the 45th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) in 2025.
Autumn is a beautiful time of year to be in Melbourne. The meeting will be held on the traditional land of the Bunurong People, at the Pullman Melbourne Hotel in Albert Park. This is a picturesque part of Melbourne, overlooking Albert Park Lake (home of the Australian Grand Prix) and only a short distance from the Melbourne CBD and the famous St Kilda beach precinct.
We invite you to immerse yourself in the culture, arts and hospitality that our vibrant city has to offer. Melbourne is renowned for its restaurants, café-filled laneways, cool bars and local music and art scenes. The National Gallery of Victoria, AFL stadiums, Royal Botanic Gardens & the Shrine of Remembrance are within walking distance or short tram ride away. For those who like to plan ahead - catch some of the world’s finest comedy at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival. Or if you wish to escape the city and explore the surrounding regions, Melbourne is the gateway to countless worldclass wine regions and the beautiful, rugged coastline of Bells Beach and the Great Ocean Road beyond.
Arriving early is also ideal for attending one (or more) of the seven Pre-Conference Workshops on Sunday. A wide range of intellectual and clinical offerings are on offer, including Acute Pain, Basic Pain Research, Pain in Childhood, Pharmacology in Pain Management, Fundamentals of Pain, Physiotherapy in Pain Management, and Psychology in Pain Management workshops.
Sunday evening starts with the Welcome Reception. Join us in the exhibition hall - a perfect place to catch up with friends and colleagues. For those attending the Basic Pain Research and Pain in Childhood SIG Dinners, it is then only a short stroll down the road to The Windsor Alehouse. The venue has a cosy and wholesome vibe and offers craft beer, live music and delicious food. Delegates don’t have to be a SIG member to join in, so please join us - it’s a perfect place for a 2 course meal and drinks.
On Monday morning we are very fortunate to open the ASM with IASP President Prof Andrew Rice. This will be followed by an exciting line-up of topical sessions and plenary presentations from international leaders, including Prof Tamar
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Pincus (University of Southampton, UK) and a panel of experts exploring the challenges and utility of psychedelics for pain management. We also highly recommend the “Meet the Minds” Q&A session in the late afternoon, for further networking opportunities with invited international speakers. To relax after an exciting first day, the Windsor Alehouse will again open its doors to all delegates for a drink.
Tuesday is packed with more great plenary presentations from international leaders, including Prof David Bennett (University of Oxford, UK), more topical sessions, and free paper sessions skilfully curated by the Scientific Program Committee. At the end of the day, join us for the Gala Dinner which will be held at the Carousel, across Albert Park Lake. The Gala Dinner is always a highlight!
Wednesday is another not-to-be-missed line up with three fabulous plenaries, including awards recognising the exceptional contribution of emerging and established leaders in our field.
We hope you will join us in Melbourne and make it a trip to remember! There is so much to see and experience. So why not arrive a little early, or stay a little longer?
A/Prof Nik Veldhuis and Prof Jason Ivanusic Local Organising Committee (LOC) Co-Convenors
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REGISTER BEFORE 18 FEBRUARY 2025 FOR EARLY BIRD SAVINGS!
Get in early and secure your place at Australia’s only multidisciplinary conference offering insights into the complex nature of pain management from a variety of medical, nursing, research, and allied health perspectives.
Please click here to register
Considering the benefits of APS membership?
Become a member and save on your APS 2025 registration fee!
Should you have any queries about the conference, please contact the Conference Secretariat
We look forward to welcoming you to Pullman Melbourne Albert Park, VIC.
PROGRAM NOW AVAILABLE
2025 will bring us more challenges in the IASP Global Year about Pain Management, Research and Education in Low- and Middle-income Settings
You can look forward to an extensive program including seven pre-conference workshops, plenary sessions including international keynote speakers and national leaders in the field of pain, 24 topical sessions, and three social functions.
Yes, that’s right – 24 topical sessions!
Thanks to a record number of submissions received, the APS is delighted to confirm the ASM program in 2025 has been extended to include an additional stream of concurrent topical sessions.
The program will run until 5pm on Wednesday afternoon – ensuring delegates have access to more content, more speakers, and more opportunities to connect than ever before.
Follow the links to start planning your conference experience today!
Program Overview
Keynote Speakers
Pre-Conference Workshops
Topical Concurrent Sessions
Social Program
For information on APS 2025 visit the conference website.
We look forward to welcoming you to Melbourne, VIC!
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CONFERENCE SOCIAL PROGRAM
Social Program Explore the social program and plan your conference experience today:
Sunday 13 April 2025
Welcome Reception
Venue: Exhibition Hall, Pullman Melbourne Albert Park
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Dress: Smart Casual
Cost: Included in registration fee for full delegates and sponsors/exhibitors
Additional tickets: $60pp, guests welcome
Join us for a first look at the exhibition hall and a chance to catch up with colleagues and delegates you may not have seen since Darwin.
Basic Pain Research & Pain in Childhood SIG Dinner
Venue: The Windsor Alehouse, 42 Punt Road
Time: From 7:30pm, after the Welcome Reception
Dress: Smart Casual
Cost: $90 per person, guests welcome
The Windsor Alehouse is within walking distance of the Pullman, it has a cosy and wholesome vibe and offers craft beer, live music and delicious food.
Enjoy a 2 course meal, plus drinks with friends and colleagues interested in Basic Pain Research and Pain in Childhood. Delegates don’t have to be a member of the SIGs to join, everyone is welcome.
Monday 14 April 2025
Social Activity
Venue: The Windsor Alehouse, 42 Punt Road
Time: From 5:30pm
Cost: Delegates will receive a complimentary drink card in their registration pack, no reservation is required.
An easy stroll after a long day of sitting, join fellow delegates at The Windsor Alehouse - a local pub that offers craft beers, wholesome meals and space to network.
With a dedicated reserved space for APS delegates, join colleagues to wind down and recap on the days learning, over a complimentary wine or beer.
Tuesday 15 April 2025
Gala Dinner
Venue: Carousel, Albert Park Lake
Time: 7:00pm - 11:00pm
Dress: Smart/Cocktail
Cost: $150, guests welcome (transport included)
Join us to celebrate another fantastic ASM, enjoy a delicious meal and drinks - with plenty of time for dancing (of course!). The Gala Dinner is always considered a highlight of the conference, don't miss out!
Register Now! Secure your place at these enjoyable and entertaining social functions
Should you have any queries about the conference, please contact the Conference Secretariat
We look forward to welcoming you to Melbourne, VIC!
MEET THE MINDS: Q&A AND NETWORKING SESSION
Pick the brains of leaders in the field!
Join us at this exclusive Q&A and networking event designed for those looking to undertake a dive deep into the latest in pain research and clinical practice.
Engage in meaningful discussions, gain valuable insights, and establish new collaborations.
Whether you are a student, early or mid-career researcher, clinician, or just eager to learn, come along and connect with top minds and fellow attendees.
Date: Monday 14 April 2025
Time: 5:30pm - 6:30pm
Cost: $15 per person, includes a drink on arrival
When registering for the conference, don’t forget to add in a ticket to the Meet the Minds: Q&A and Networking Session!
To register click here.
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Full Day Workshop
Bridging Between Two Worlds:
A Conversation with Professor David Bennett
David Bennett, MD PhD is a Professor of neurology and neurobiology at the University of Oxford, where he is also the head of the Division of Clinical Neurology. In addition, Bennett is a consultant neurologist at Oxford University Hospitals and is a senior research fellow of Green Templeton College. His research aims to understand how neural injury and neuropathic pain develops, with the ultimate goal of improving how this debilitating condition is managed in clinical settings.
Bennett is an international keynote speaker at the upcoming 45th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) of the Australian Pain Society, which will be held in Melbourne from April 13-16, 2025. In the lead-up to the ASM, Bennett spoke with Lincoln Tracy, a researcher and writer from Melbourne, Australia, discussing his experiences in working with giants of the pain field during his early career, how and why he aligns his research and clinical interests, and the extremely practical advice he would give to his younger self. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
What was your path to becoming a neurologist and a pain researcher?
Interestingly, I was a pain researcher before I became a neurologist – but there was a lot of chance and luck involved in the journey. While I was in medical school, I integrated a neuroscience degree into my studies and was lucky enough to do a project in the laboratory of Stephen McMahon and Patrick Wall. Steve had been a postdoc with Pat while he was working at University College London, and then moved to St Thomas’s to set up his own lab. A few years later Pat retired from UCL and came to St Thomas’s as an Emeritus Professor.
There was one summer where Steve was meant to go to San Francisco to work on a collaboration with a company called Genentech, but his wife fell pregnant, and he decided he couldn’t go. Steve asked if I wanted to go in his place, so during my summer vacation I spend two months working at Genentech and really loved it – the facilities they had were really eye opening. Molecular
biology was still in a relatively nascent state at the time, but they were cloning growth factors and receptors as they worked out signalling pathways and tried to use what they learned to make receptor blockers and use growth factors therapeutically.
When I got back from the United States, the medical school had decided that they wanted to set up an MD-PhD scheme where people could integrate a PhD into their medical training, and they asked me if I wanted to be the first student in that program. I grabbed the opportunity with open arms. I spent three years doing my PhD, which focused on the sensory nervous system and involved researching the role of growth factors in its development, how growth factors modulate the function of the sensory nervous system and pain, as well as the role of nerve growth factor in inflammation.
That experience set me up for the rest of my career, because I really enjoyed neuroscience and working in the pain field – from that moment I always knew I wanted to be a clinical academic. Luckily, I also really enjoyed neurology and felt that there would be a place for someone that was trained as a neurologist but was also interested in the peripheral/ sensory nervous systems and pain. So, I aligned the remainder of my clinical training on that track and did my neurology training in hospitals all over London with the aim of coming back and doing academic research in neurology.
What was it like working with Patrick Wall and Stephen McMahon, who both made incredible contributions to the pain field, in the early stages of your career?
I was tremendously lucky to have them both in the same environment – they were really inspirational in every way and made doing science a lot of fun. They were both very social and would love to chat about new ways of approaching things, so there was a fair amount of time spent going to the bar after work.
As a medical student you spend a whole lot of time ingesting very large amounts of information without always getting to think about it, so I really appreciated more of the “discovery” time I spent with Steve and Pat where we would debate new ideas and think about how to test them. They were great mentors, tremendous scientists, and just really fun to be around.
As someone who is both a researcher and a clinician, how important is it that your interests in these two areas complement each other?
Everyone’s circumstances are different, but all things being equal, I would tell clinical academics that it’s very helpful to align your clinical work and your research work because you are that translational bridge between the two worlds. And to be honest, I made an active decision to do that. It would be quite hard to do my job and not have the two complement each other.
The way I see it, I’m not going to be the world’s best pre-clinical scientist because I’m spending 30-40% of my time doing clinical work, but I’m also not going to be the world’s best general neurologist because I’m spending 50-60% time doing research. But the sweet spot in the middle is that if I’m in a specialist area of neurology that complements my research, then I have something that’s relatively unique. The research will feed off the cohort of patients that I recruit and hopefully the outcomes from that research can feed back into patient care.
What projects are you and your team working on most intensely at the moment?
One area where we’ve been expanding for a while has been recruiting clinical cohorts to try and understand the many different factors that can lead to neuropathic pain and how they interact at the individual level, whether it’s genetics, psychology, or particular patterns of nerve injury. It’s very difficult to map mechanisms to patients, but we’re getting better at developing techniques to do so, such as electrophysiology or functional brain imaging.
We’re also doing quite a lot of work with the UK Biobank, which is a very large cohort study of around half a million people. We’ve got some good pain phenotyping questions in there now, and we can relate that data
to lots of different clinical factors and blood or genetic markers – which is proving to be quite fruitful. For example, we’ve got a project where we discovered a genetic association with pain intensity in using Biobank data. We thought the gene related to a transporter, but we had no idea what it was transporting. So, we looked at its biochemistry and solved the structure of the protein and found that it transports polyamines, which allowed us to make cell lines and a mouse model that no longer express the gene to show that it did in fact have a role in pain.
Then we also do some clinical trial work, where we take these discoveries and then try to exploit them with therapeutics. One example is that we are working with Professor Mary Reilly, who was leading a trial in the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery at Queen Square looking at a genetic disorder called hereditary sensory neuropathy type 1. HSN1 arises from a genetic mutation that produces toxic metabolites for complex reasons, but we found that you can reduce the level of these metabolites by treating with the amino acid serine. Now we’re doing a trial treating HSN1 with serine in patients.
You have been involved in a number of different research consortia over the course of your career, what sort of benefits come from being involved in these large-scale projects?
I think it comes back to an issue of scale. There are some questions that you can only answer on a large scale, particularly if you are trying to build up large clinical cohorts of highly phenotyped patients in a harmonised manner.
For example, when I led the DOLORisk consortium, we recruited thousands of patients. Some of them were in longitudinal cohorts, and some of them we applied lots of different physiological and genetics techniques to. Projects of this size allow you to take things forward as a group – coming to a consensus, and developing standards and platforms that are going to be a future research resource for decades to come. That’s not to say they don’t come without their challenges, but I have really enjoyed working with these collaborative groups and look forward to being involved in more as time goes on.
What are some of the major questions in your area of research that you would like to see answered over the next five to 10 years? One big thing that I would love to see answered, but that I can’t promise will be answered, is the issue of heterogeneity between patients – why some people with diabetic neuropathy develop pain and others don’t, or what are the distinct mechanisms underlying different sub-types of sensory dysfunction in those with painful neuropathy? We need better techniques to measure the pathogenic mechanisms in patients and hopefully map it in a manner that would allow us to stratify patients into different groups. I think that unless you know what you’re dealing with, you won’t be able to target existing or newly developed treatments to better deliver improvements in pain care. There’s also a lot that needs to be done in terms of central circuits – whether it’s the spinal cord or the supraspinal circuits – and I suspect we will unravel a lot more of that in the next 10 years. Of course, the majority of that work will most likely be done in rodents, so then there’ll be the issue of how you can bridge that to humans but functional brain imaging will provide opportunities.
What keeps you motivated to keep doing research?
That’s an interesting question. My life is quite busy, but I like the different aspects and domains of it because they all motivate me in different ways. For example, I enjoy the day-today process of doing science and the scientific process. I feel I tuned into the discovery aspect of science from a young age while I was working with Steve McMahon and Pat Wall, where I learned to like the idea of moving into new territory, having different ideas, and making new discoveries. There are always new paradigms to adopt, new techniques to integrate into your work, and new challenges that come with novelty and change.
Being a clinician has its own set of challenges, not the least of which is finding the time to do clinics and see patients while simultaneously running a lab. But in a way, this is motivating, because while we can talk in the lab about the various mechanisms underlying pain-related conditions, seeing patients and the challenges of how they manage their clinical condition and their pain keeps me centred.
I also enjoy working with young students and scientists in my group. As you get older, it’s nice to see new generations come through, and to see people that have been students in my lab build up their own lab and become independent leaders in their own right.
Is there one paper or project from your career that is special to you, or that you are particularly proud of?
This is like asking me to choose between my two daughters, which no father is ever going to do [laughing]. I don’t think there’s a paper I would say I’m prouder of than others – they all have their own histories and stories attached to them. But there are definitely a few I’m quite nostalgic about. One came very early in my PhD with Steve McMahon and David Shelton, which looked at blocking NGF.
And then more recently, the last paper I published with Steve, who died in 2021 but was published in Neuron in 2022. We were working on an interesting project where we’d taken a genetic finding and then done the spinal cord calcium imaging in his lab. The core of the paper had been written before he died, but it wasn’t published until after his death. He was a very close friend, so I get quite nostalgic about those two papers.
What are you looking forward to most about coming to Australia for the ASM?
I’m looking forward to meeting the pain community in Australia. I have been to Sydney and done a bit of travelling up the coast, but I’ve never been to Melbourne before. I’m really interested to see the conference and get a feel for Australian pain science. A bit of sun wouldn’t go amiss either!
Finally, what’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
Learn to touch type [laughs]. I was part of the generation where all my schoolwork and the first part of my clinical career was done with a pen and paper. I type very slowly, and my life would be so much easier if I could touch type –it would make me so much more efficient with my writing.
Lincoln Tracy is a senior research fellow at Monash University and freelance writer from Melbourne, Australia. He is a member of the Australian Pain Society and enthusiastic conference attendee. You can follow him on X (@lincolntracy) or check out some of his other writing and interviews on his website.
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Australia Day 2025 Honour Award
We are delighted to congratulate the following APS member who has been awarded a Member of the Order of Australia (AM): Professor Paul GLARE AM
For significant service to medicine in the field of pain management and palliative care.
View his academic profile here.
Would you like to be featured in an APS member spotlight?
Email the APS Secretariat (aps@apsoc.org.au) if you would like to complete a short interview to introduce yourself and your work to the broader membership.
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APS Social Networking Events
Please join us for an Australian Pain Society (APS) social event!
Come along and catch up with your local APS colleagues and learn more about what other people are doing in your state.
In fact, if you have friends/colleagues with an interest in pain management but who are not members of the APS, why not bring them along too, so that they can connect with the APS community and find out more about how the APS can help support them.
The evening will be largely unstructured so you can focus on meeting and connecting with others.
Hope you can make it!
Joyce McSwan APS President
Boost your career with a partial scholarship of $1,000-$5,000 from Women & Leadership Australia. Choose from one of four leadership and workplace skill development courses for women at all levels in Health.
Apply by Friday 28 March 2025, places are limited.
3/133 Grey Street, South Brisbane RSVP by 27 February 2025 here!
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The 2025 Global Year about Pain Management, Research and Education in Low- and Middle-Income Settings has been officially launched by the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
IASP aims to unite clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and patient advocates worldwide to improve access to high-quality pain care in low- and middle-income settings. By collaborating across borders and disciplines, we can transform pain care and address global disparities. Be part of the conversation on social media with #GlobalYear2025.
To download a copy of the locally produced poster and to access the IASP Fact Sheets, visit the Global Year page of the APS website. More information can be found on IASP’s website.
Along with our regular collaborators:
• New Zealand Pain Society
• Faculty of Pain Medicine, ANZCA
we encourage you to help raise awareness of this important topic.
If you conduct an event to raise awareness of Pain Management, Research and Education in Low- and Middle-Income Settings, please send us a report and photos to share with your fellow members.
A 5-day course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation before pain onset ameliorates
future pain and increases sensorimotor peak alpha frequency
Thank you to APS members
Nahian Chowdhury, Wei-Ju Chang and Samantha K Millard and their colleagues Khandoker Taseen , Alan Ki Chiang, David Seminowicz and Siobhan Schabrun for sharing the following recent publication.
Subjects
We recruited 41 healthy participants (through notices placed online and at universities across Australia), aged 18-44 with no history of chronic pain, neurological or psychiatric condition, 40 participants (21 active, 19 sham) completed the protocol.
Article first published online: December 3, 2024
Journal Reference: Nahian S Chowdhury, Khandoker J Taseen , Alan Ki Chiang, Wei-Ju Chang, Samantha K Millard, David A Seminowicz, Siobhan M Schabrun, A 5-day course of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation before pain onset ameliorates future pain and increases sensorimotor peak alpha frequency, PAIN 2024 Dec 3 PMID: 39620350
DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000003484
Abstract
Aims
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has shown promise as an intervention for pain. An unexplored research question is whether the delivery of rTMS prior to pain onset might protect against a future episode of prolonged pain. The present study aimed to determine whether (1) 5 consecutive days of rTMS delivered prior to experimentally induced prolonged jaw pain has a prophylactic effect on future pain intensity and (2) whether these effects were accompanied by increases in corticomotor excitability (CME) and/or sensorimotor peak alpha frequency (PAF).
Design
This study used a blinded, longitudinal, randomised, sham-controlled, parallel design to follow healthy individuals over the course of 26 days
Setting
Data collection occurred at a single centre: Neuroscience Research Australia
Methods
On each day from day 0 to 4, participants received a single session of active or sham rTMS over the left primary motor cortex. Peak alpha frequency and CME were assessed on day 0 (before rTMS) and day 4 (after rTMS). Prolonged pain was induced via intramuscular injection of nerve growth factor in the right masseter muscle after the final rTMS session. From days 5 to 25, participants completed twice-daily electronic diaries including pain on chewing and yawning (primary outcomes), as well as pain during other activities (eg, talking), functional limitation in jaw function and muscle soreness (secondary outcomes)
Results
Compared to sham, individuals who received active rTMS subsequently experienced lower pain on chewing and yawning. Furthermore, active rTMS led to an increase in PAF.
Conclusions
This is the first study to show that rTMS delivered prior to prolonged pain onset can protect against future pain. Our findings suggest that rTMS may hold promise as a prophylactic intervention for pain.
Implications/Discussion
rTMS may be useful as a prophylactic intervention in some clinical settings, including as an adjunct intervention to a presurgical optimisation program aiming to reduce postsurgical pain. Future studies are needed to explore this possibility
Declaration Nahian Chowdhury has nothing to declare.
Chronic pain: Encouraging nonpharmacological self-management
Thank you to APS member Professor Michael Nicholas for sharing the following recent publication.
Article first published online: December 2024
Journal Reference: Pain Management Today. December 2024, VOL 11 (2), 57-59.
DOI: Open access: https://painmanagement. medicinetoday.com.au/pmt/2024/december
aware of compelling Australian research that has found that people living with chronic pain also value help that promotes their independence and quality of life (Slater et al., 2022).
Abstract
Background to paper
This paper was solicited from the Journal to provide a perspective on nonpharmacological pain management. It was peer reviewed. The primary intended audience is General Practitioners, but it is relevant to all healthcare professionals who treat people living with chronic pain.
Methods
As a perspective, it provides a narrative commentary on the topic, based on recent pain literature and the author’s clinical experience with the assessment and management of chronic pain over 40+ years.
Results
The International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) for chronic pain differentiates between chronic pain that is secondary to a chronic disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), and chronic primary pain that is not attributable to an underlying disease (e.g. most low back pain) (Treede et al., 2019). In the case of chronic secondary pain, treatment of the underlying disease may ameliorate the pain to some extent, but this is very unlikely if the person has chronic primary pain. It is completely understandable and reasonable that people living with chronic pain would desire, and expect, complete relief of their pain. Unfortunately, for patients with chronic primary pain persisting with attempts to achieve symptom relief (whether the treatment is pharmacological or nonpharmacological) entails risks that include not just the disappointment of recurring treatment failures and costs, but also obstacles to their recovery and rehabilitation. The experience with opioids in Australia and the US is testament to that (see Ballantyne and Sullivan, 2015). But it is important for healthcare professionals to be
In Australia, funding authorities (e.g., NSW Health/SIRA, 2024) have also picked up on this perspective and have started to refer to care for persisting pain being of low value when pain relief is the primary focus. In contrast, highvalue care for such pain includes a primary focus on improvement in functional activities, and encouragement for patients to take an active self-management approach to their pain.
Active self-management strategies for chronic pain should be tailored to the individual patient (following a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment), but commonly include basic education about chronic pain, identifying and working towards desired functional goals, graded exercises, activity pacing, stress reduction techniques, problem-management skills, and use of a weekly activity timetable (to facilitate planned functional upgrading rather than painbased upgrading).
All healthcare professionals can learn the skills required to support their patients in implementing these active self-management strategies and success is more likely when two or more practitioners (e.g., a GP and practice nurse) work collaboratively (and consistently) with their patient.
Conclusions
While the risks of pharmacological treatments for chronic pain are well-known, assuming nonpharmacological treatments are risk-free is a mistake because they risk keeping the patient’s attention on their pain rather than on more functional goals. Care that has a primary focus on improvement in functional activities and encouragement for patients to take an active self-management approach to their pain is starting to be recognised as being of high value.
Declaration
Michael receives royalties from sales of a book for people living with pain: Manage Your Pain, published by ABC Books. He was also a member of the ICD-11 Chronic Pain taskforce for the IASP, 2013-2019; a member of the topic working group for the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care on the Clinical Care Standards for Low-Back Pain, 2021-2; and a member of the Clinical Advisory Group for SIRA NSW, 2021-23.
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Enhancing the trustworthiness of pain research: A call to action
Thank you to APS member Michael Ferraro and their colleagues Neil O’Connell, Joletta Belton, Geert Crombez, Christopher Eccleston, Emma Fischer, Anna Hood, Francis Keefe, Roger Knaggs, Emma Norris, Tonya Palermo, Gisele Pickering, Esther Pogatzki-Zahn, Andrew Rice, Georgia Richards, Daniel Segelcke, Keith Smart, Nadia Soliman, Gavin Stewart, Thomas Tölle, Dennis Turk, Jan Vollert, Elaine Wainwright, Jack Wilkinson and Amanda C de C Williams for sharing the following recent publication.
Article first published online: 15 November 2024
Journal Reference: Journal of Pain
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104736
Abstract
Introduction
Tremendous research efforts are directed towards understanding, preventing, and managing pain. However, people with pain, clinicians, and the public are often served by pain research with critical limitations including incomplete research governance, poor methodological rigour, a lack of diversity and inclusivity, limited data accessibility and transparency, and a failure to communicate findings with balance. Together, these factors increase uncertainty in research findings, drive the provision of low value care, increase healthcare costs and impede the discovery of effective treatments. The ENhancing TRUSTworthiness in Pain Evidence (ENTRUSTPE) network was formed to develop an integrated framework for more trustworthy pain research.
Methods
An interdisciplinary network group was convened consisting of 25 members from the European Union the USA and Australia, funded by the ERA-NET NEURON Consortium. Network members had expertise in equity, diversity and inclusivity, the involvement and engagement of people with lived experience and the public in research, preclinical and
clinical research, qualitative research, evidence synthesis, guideline development, and statistical methods. The network met on 6 occasions from September 2023 to August 2024 including a 2-day in-person meeting to form consensus recommendations for key areas for improving trustworthiness of pain research.
Results
The ENTRUST-PE framework proposes that trustworthiness is multidimensional and underpinned by 7 core values: integrity and governance; equity, diversity and inclusivity; patient and public involvement and engagement; methodological rigour; openness and transparency; balanced communication and data authenticity. Each core value should drive universal actions and behaviours that will enhance trustworthiness across all roles and stages of the research process. A white paper detailing all actions can be accessed at https:// doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/e39ys.
Conclusions
The ENTRUST-PE framework offers an integrated framework for creating more trustworthy evidence. It conceptualises trustworthiness to be underpinned by multiple features, each of which should be met to optimise trust. It emphasises that action to consistently and meaningfully improve trust will be needed at all levels and across all roles. The ENRUST-PE framework is presented as a “Call to Action” for the pain research community to act together to put the trustworthiness of research first.
Declaration (for APS member only)
MCF is funded by an Australian Government Research Training Program PhD scholarship and a Neuroscience Research Australia PhD Pearl supplementary scholarship. He is the Treasurer of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) Methodology, Evidence Synthesis and Implementation special interest group, and the Early Career Researcher Representative of the IASP Complex Regional Pain Syndrome special interest group.
Recent Publications
Arthroplasty for Osteoarthritis: A Longitudinal
Journal Reference: Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy
DOI: https://www.jospt.org/doi/10.2519/ jospt.2024.12570
Abstract
Objective
To explore the extent of functional improvement following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for knee osteoarthritis and compare trajectories of self-reported and performance-based measures of physical function.
Methods
We searched three electronic databases from January 2005 to February 2023 for longitudinal cohort studies involving adults with knee osteoarthritis undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty. Estimates of self-reported and performance-based physical function were extracted pre-surgery and up to five-years post-surgery. Self-reported function scores were converted to a 0-100 scale (higher scores indicate worse function). Mixed models provided pooled estimates after excluding lowquality studies.
3-6 months post-surgery 21.1 (95% CI 17.9 to 24.3) (p
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(30.9, 95% CI 23.2 to 38.6) (p = 0.919). Performancebased measures exhibited variable trajectories, with most estimates indicating no clinically meaningful improvement following total knee arthroplasty.
Conclusions
Total knee arthroplasty resulted in clinically meaningful improvements in self-reported function at 3-6 months post-operatively. There was some deterioration in function after 6-months, and at no other time point did the estimate reach a clinically important change. There was limited evidence of clinically meaningful improvements in performance-based measures of physical function at any time point.
Implications
This study provides patients and healthcare professionals with high quality data about expected functional recovery post TKA. These data are important in forming decisions around whether to undergo TKA or not, help formulate expectations in those who decide to proceed with TKA and should prompt clinicians and researchers to consider ways of enhancing physical function post TKA.
Declaration
Gemma M Orange has nothing to declare.
Have you had an article accepted for publication recently?
The Australian Pain Society (APS) is keen to share publications from our members with their colleagues via our eNewsletter. If you’ve had an article accepted or published recently, please contact our Assistant Editor Joanne Harmon via the APS Secretariat (aps@apsoc.org.au) with the title, authors, and reference (i.e., journal, volume, and DOI) of your article and request the submission template. We would love it if you also supply a short commentary (300 words max) to give our readers the gist of the article.
Developed by the Australian Pain Society in collaboration with the National Ageing Research Institute, this FREE ‘train-the-trainer’ pain management program is for use by sta in both residential aged care facilities and organisations that provide aged care in the community, as well as NDIS providers.
Bite-sized 10 minute training modules!
Eight (8) painACT modules: One for the trainer called “How to use the painACT trainer program”, and seven modules for the trainer to train their sta :
Introduction to pain in aged care
Impact of pain on the person, family and sta
Conversations
Developed by the Australian Pain Society in collaboration with the National Ageing Research Institute, this FREE ‘train-the-trainer’ pain management program is for use by sta in both residential aged care facilities and organisations that provide aged care in the community, as well as NDIS providers.
For more information:
painACT is available on the Australian Pain Society website and consists of: > trainer learning module documents > short training video clips, and > participant handout material apsoc.org.au/painACT-Online-Learning
2025 Australian Placebo Nocebo Symposium
14th February 2025
University of Sydney
Click here to register by 7 th February or scan the QR code:
30 APR - 1 MAY 2025 | PRE-CONGRESS WORKSHOPS
NEW!
> Two new seminars recording for APS members now available in the Members Portal
> Opioid Safety Toolkit_06NOV24
> Supported Pain Self Management_13NOV24
Other items of interest for our members:
> Latest opioid data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics: Opioid induced deaths in Australia.
> Australia’s annual overdose report 2024 from the Pennington Institute
> Australian Atlas of Healthcare Variation Series: This series explores how healthcare use in Australia varies depending on where people live. It investigates reasons for variation that may be unwarranted, and provides specific achievable actions to reduce unwarranted variation
> Painaustralia eNewsletters
> ePPOC: electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration: The electronic Persistent Pain Outcomes Collaboration (ePPOC) is an Australasian initiative that aims to improve the quality of care and outcomes for people who experience chronic pain.
> PainHEALTH: painHEALTH‘s aim is to help health consumers with musculoskeletal pain access reliable, evidence-based information and tips to assist in the co-management of musculoskeletal pain. painHEALTH is an initiative of the Department of Health, Western Australia
> Stanford University CHOIR: CHOIR Collaborative Health Outcomes Information Registry
> Opioid Podcasts for GPs: These podcasts are produced by David Outridge GP, and FAChAM Trainee as a project under the auspices of Dr Steven Kelly Staff Specialist in Addiction Medicine, Kullaroo Clinic Gosford. A weekly series from the Hunter Postgraduate Medical Institute (University of Newcastle)
> Airing Pain: Pain resources via an online radio show produced by Pain Concern, a UK registered Charity
> Indigenous Resources: Webpage on the APS website aggregating Indigenous resources
TGA
> Codeine information hub
NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation resources:
> Brainman and Pain Tool Kit translations
> Pain Management Resources
> Quicksteps to Manage Chronic Pain in Primary Care
> Built into Quicksteps: “How to de-prescribe and wean opioids in general practice”
> A list of helpful apps for consumers and clinicians
> Chronic Pain in the ED
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Three APS website features for members only
1. Public Directory
This feature is available to all members and allows basic location and contact details for individuals and their organisations/practices to be accessible to the general public via the open access area of our website.
The listing is completely voluntary for members:
• You may select and un-select the “Private Practice Listing” option on your member profile at any time
• Only information entered by you in the “Work Contact” section of your member profile will be listed and publicly available
The Public Directory can be found by selecting “Resources + Education” from the top menu bar and then “Public Listing” under the “Useful Information” sub menu.
Refer sample image:
2. Submit Position Vacant
This feature is only available in the Members Area of the APS website and allows members to submit Positions Vacant in a defined format with selected information as compulsory fields for listing consistency.
In addition to the compulsory information, members are given the opportunity to upload a PDF, JPG, JPEG or GIF file with a maximum size of 4Mb, which may further expand on the role available.
Submitted positions vacant are not automatically listed on the website. All submitted position vacant are reviewed by the secretariat prior to being made available on the members area of the website. Only current APS members may list positions vacant.
The following sample image may help acquaint you with this new feature:
3. Membership Renewal Message
Membership renewal confirmation.
Please be assured that the membership system will not allow you to overpay your subscriptions.
When you log into the Member Only area of the website you will see the following message:
Please select the “Renew Now” button to advance.
If you need to renew your subscription you will be taken to the renewal webpage:
If you have already renewed, the system will confirm this and you can select the appropriate menu from the top menu bar as per the following sample image:
APS Membership Renewals 2025
Renewal notices for 2025 have been sent by email to members, check your inbox!
Thank you for your continued support and membership of the APS.
Please note:
1. We understand that circumstances change, so each year we ask you to select your appropriate level of membership.
2. This system of self-reporting subscription levels was implemented in 2009 for the benefit and fairness of all members.
3. There has been a small increase applied to the 2025 membership fees.
Please refer to the rates below for your 2025 membership fee:
a. Regular A $130 (was $120)
b. Regular B $260 (was $230)
c. Regular C $440 (was $370)
d. Retired $65 Concessional Rate
e. Student $65 Concessional Rate
Before renewing, please ensure you review and update your member profile online.
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Did you know that the Australian Pain Society is a registered charity with ACNC? Your donation will help the Society to promote the prevention and control of diseases in human beings associated with pain.
All donations of $2 or more to APS are tax-deductible.
Position Vacant
Senior Registrar (Advanced Trainee In Pain Medicine)
Sunshine Coast Persistent Pain Management Service, Qld
Job Reference: QLD/SC617487
Employment Status: Fixed Term Temporary Full-time
Hours per week: 38 hrs (1.0 EFT)
Contact: Dr Paul Cadzow (T: 07 5370 3566, E: Paul.Cadzow@health.qld.gov.au)
Applications Close: 28FEB25
This is your opportunity to join an emerging tertiary health service undergoing rapid expansion in the wonderful geographical environs of the Sunshine Coast, covering five different hospital campuses including the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH). The Senior Registrar (Advanced Trainee in Pain Medicine) will provide the highest standard of evidence-based care of patients referred to the Sunshine Coast Persistent Pain Management Service (SCPPMS), under consultant supervision, while training in the principles and practice of acute, chronic and cancer pain management. Training will include assessment of patients with pain, formulation of management plans, consultation, and communication about painrelated issues, working in teambased rehabilitation and allied health pain management programs, and development of skills in interventional pain techniques. Trainees will be expected to be registered for training and examination by the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College for Anaesthetists. The SCPPMS is an accredited facility with the Faculty of Pain Medicine for training in Pain Medicine.
Job search | Employment and jobs | Queensland Government (smartjobs.qld.gov.au)
New Members as at 3 February 2025
Mr Daniel Arbilla Exercise Physiologist
Mr Tim Bagshaw Physiotherapy
Ms Karen Bau Physiotherapy
Ms Helen Carrington Music, Art & Play Therapy
Mrs Anne Connell Nursing
Mrs Dorene Cox Nursing
Mr Patrick Hendrik Du Preez Nursing
Mr Mark Fenoughty Physiotherapy
Ms Sally Goodwin Psychology
Mrs Alison Healey Psychology
Mrs Emily Hooper Education
Ms Ji Hae Jang Science Research
Miss Belinda Johnston Nursing
Mrs Katie Kalic Nursing
Dr Dilip Kapur Pain Medicine Physician
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Mr Zemene Demelash Kifle Musculoskeletal Medicine
Mrs Emma Kinman Nursing
Mr Murray Kirkwood Psychology
Mr Ihsan Laksmana Pharmacy
Mrs Abbey Lee Nursing
Dr Lionel Marks de Chabris Pain Medicine Physician
Miss Jenny May Nursing
Miss Isha Mishra Exercise Physiologist
Ms Kim Murray Nursing
Dr Emily Rickman Pain Medicine Physician
Ms Michelle Sexton Psychology
Mrs Mahsa Seydi Physiotherapy
Ms Elizabeth Spitzer Psychology
Ms Debra Thompson Physiotherapy
Dr Fatemeh Vazirian Neurology
Miss Elaina Vlassopoulos Science Research
Dr Louise Wiles Physiotherapy
Ms Suet Yi (Haze) Yam Nursing
Calendar of Events
14 February 2025
Sydney Placebo Lab
2025 Australian Placebo Nocebo Symposium
Abercrombie Building (H70), Darlington, Sydney, NSW
20-22 March 2025
New Zealand Pain Society (NZPS)
NZPS25 - Weaving our Kete
17-20 June 2025
International Symposium on Paedriatric Pain
ISPP 2025
Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Glasgow, Scotland
20-23 July 2025
Rehabilitation Medicine Society of Australia & New Zealand in conjunction with New Zealand Rehabilitation Association
Te Papa Tonogarewa, Wellington, NZ
4-6 April 2025
Spine Society of Australia
2025 Spine Society of Australia 36th Annual Scientific Meeting
Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre, Perth, WA
13-16 April 2025
Australian Pain Society (APS)
2025 Australian Pain Society 45th Annual Scientific Meeting
Pullman Melbourne Albert Park, Melbourne, VIC
24-26 April 2025
EuropeanPain Federation - EFIC
EFIC 14th Congress - Comorbidity of chronic pain and mental health disorders: Breaking the cycle
Cite - Centre de Congres, Lyon, France
2-4 May 2025
ASEAPS 2025 - 10th Association of South-East
Asian Pain Societies Congress
From Pain to Empowerment
Singapore EXPO, Singapore
2-6 May 2025
Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA)
ANZCA 2025 Annual Scientific MeetingFutureproof
Cairns Convention Centre, Cairns QLD
RMSANZ NZRA 2025 8th Annual Scientific Meeting - Building Lives
Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Christchurch, NZ
8-10 August 2025
Neuromodulation Society of Australia & New Zealand
NSANZ 2025 18th Annual Scientific Meeting
ICC Sydney, NSW
23-30 August 2025
Pain Revolution 2025
Rural Outreach and Cycling Tour
Various venues: Bundaberg, Hervey Bay, Gympie, Maleny, Noosa, Birtinya, Sunshine Coast, QLD
4-6 September 2025
International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP)
NeuPSIG 2025, 9th International Congress on Neuropathic Pain
Urania Berlin e.V., Berlin, Germany
17 October 2025
Pain Nurses Australia
2025 Annual Professional Day - Pain in Vulnerable Populations
Waterview in Bicentennial Park, Sydney
Olympic Park, Sydney, NSW
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Vision, Purpose & Priorities
Vision:
All people will have optimal pain management throughout life.
Purpose:
The Australian Pain Society is a multidisciplinary association whose purpose is to advance pain management through education, research, and advocacy for transformational improvements in clinical care.
Priorities:
In order to achieve our purpose, the Australian Pain Society will provide:
> Membership
> Research
> Education
> Services and resources
> Good governance and operations
> Advocacy
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Directors
President:
Mrs Joyce McSwan
Gold Coast Primary Health Network
Persistent Pain Program, QLD and PainWISE
Tel: 0412 327 795 Fax: 07 3539 9801
President-Elect:
Ms Bernadette Smith
Psychology Plus
South Burnie TAS
Tel: 03 6431 9959 Fax: 03 6431 9950
Secretary:
Mrs Dinah Spratt
Physiotas Physiotherapy
Shearwater TAS 7307
Tel: 03 6428 7500 Fax: 03 6424 7811
Treasurer:
Dr Laura Prendergast
Pain Service, Northern Health
Broadmeadows VIC 3047
Tel: 03 8345 5166 Fax: N/A
Work days Mon & Thu
ACT Director:
Dr Andrew Watson
Calvary Hospital
Canberra ACT 2617
Tel: 02 6201 6352 Fax: N/A
NSW Director:
Dr Connor Gleadhill
Department of Health and Aged Care
Primary Care Division
Newcastle NSW 2038
Tel: 0405 203 661 Fax: N/A
NT Director:
Position Vacant
Tel: 02 9016 4343
QLD Director:
Dr Duncan Sanders
Pain Management Unit, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney / Managing Pain Clinic and E3 Physio
Gold Coast QLD
Tel: 07 5620 1234 Fax: 07 3009 0420
SA Director:
Ms Heather Gray
Royal Adelaide Hospital
Adelaide SA 5000
Email: heather.gray@sa.gov.au
TAS Director:
Mr Sinan Tejani
Launceston General Hospital
Launceston TAS 7250
Tel: 0469 967 841 Fax: N/A
VIC Director:
Dr Esther Dube
Austin Health
Heidelberg VIC 3084
Email: referrals@periop.net.au
WA Director:
Ms Jacintha Bell
Lifeworks Occupational Therapy
Mount Lawley WA 6050
Tel: 0451 178 880 Fax: 08 6323 3329
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Office Bearers
Immediate Past President:
Ms Trudy Maunsell
Retired QLD
Newsletter Assistant Editor:
Dr Joanne Harmon
School of Clinical and Health Sciences
University of South Australia
Adelaide SA 5000
Tel: 08 8302 1442
SPC Chair:
Professor Kevin Keay
Department of Anatomy
University of Sydney
Sydney NSW 2006
Tel: 02 9351 4132 Fax: 02 9351 2817
IASP Liaison:
Professor Fiona Blyth AM
Sydney School of Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health
University of Sydney
Camperdown NSW 2006
Email: Fiona.blyth@sydney.edu.au
Communications Coordinator:
Mrs Joyce McSwan
Gold Coast Primary Health Network
Persistent Pain Program, QLD and PainWISE
Tel: 0412 327 795 Fax: 07 3539 9801
Newsletter Editor:
Dr Lincoln Tracy
School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
Monash University
Melbourne VIC 3004
Tel: 03 9903 0288
Scholarship/Grant Selection
Subcommittee Co-Chairs:
Emeritus Professor Maree Smith AC
Centre for Integrated Preclinical Drug Development
University of Queensland St Lucia QLD 4072
Professor Luke Henderson
Anatomy & Histology, School of Medical Sciences
Brain & Mind Centre
University of Sydney
Camperdown NSW 2006
Secretariat:
DC Conference & Association
Management Pty Ltd
PO Box 637
North Sydney, NSW 2059
Tel: 02 9016 4343
Email: aps@apsoc.org.au
Website: apsoc.org.au