For four days in April, the eyes of the medical world will focus on Brisbane

BRISBANE is set to welcome almost 2000 Rheumatology practitioners and specialists in April as the appeal of the city as both a leisure and a meetings destination continues to grow.

The 21st Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Congress, co-hosted by the Australian Rheumatology Association will be held in Brisbane from April 8-11, and some 2000 delegates from across the globe are set to attend. The Congress was held last year in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Brisbane has a standout reputation as a host city, headlined by the highly successful 2014 G20 Leaders’ Summit which included 7000 delegates. The APLAR-ARA Congress in April will be one of the largest meetings events for the city in 2019.

To be held at the internationally award-winning Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre (BCEC), the Congress will provide an important global forum for exchange on cutting edge scientific and clinical information, with more than 100 national and international speakers featured over the three-day program, providing world-class research, scientific and medical advances and state-of-the-art industry innovations.

The latest breakthroughs and news in this important field of medicine will be shared direct from BCEC, and, with an estimated 350 million people worldwide diagnosed with arthritis (just one area of rheumatology), it is expected to generate much interest.

Rheumatologists, physicians, researchers, scientists, clinicians, internists, orthopaedic surgeons, clinical immunologists, physiatrists, physical and occupational therapists, paediatricians and researchers from allied disciplines make up the delegate mix, with many attendees bringing family members for the stay in Brisbane.

Hayley McLeod, congress manager from MCI Australia, said there has been an overwhelming response by delegates to attend the event once Brisbane was announced as the host city.

“The appeal of Brisbane as a meetings destination is undeniable," Ms McLeod said. The city’s liveability, transport network, range of world-class hotels and dining options and the support of State and Local Government is extraordinary.

“Of course, the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre is famed around the world as a leader in meetings facilitation, so these factors, combined with the all-star weather and reputation of the city as one that welcomes visitors with open arms make it unbeatable. And our delegate response is testament to this.”

Ms McLeod said the Congress was set to generate an economic impact of almost $4 million for Brisbane and greater Queensland, according to Brisbane Marketing calculations, as many delegates were arriving early, or staying after the Congress in Brisbane, or travelling to other areas of Queensland.

The six keynote speakers set to lead the Congress represent the very best in the world and include Anne Barton, Professor of Rheumatology and leads the Centre for Musculoskeletal Research at The University of Manchester; Helen Foster, Professor Paediatric Rheumatology at the Newcastle University Medicine Malaysia; John Isaacs, Professor of Clinical Rheumatology at Newcastle University; Helena Marzo-Ortega, Consultant Rheumatologist at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Eric Morand, Head of Rheumatology at Monash Health, and Yoshiya Tanaka, Professor and Chairman of First Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine and Dean of Graduate School of Medical Science, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan.

 

About the Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology

The Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology (APLAR), was established in 1963 in Sydney. What began with four founding nations has now increased in scale to include 32 national rheumatology association members. The geographical region covered by APLAR reaches from New Zealand in Oceania to Jordan in the Middle East. The APLAR network of national associations represents 25,000+ rheumatologists.

Australia hosts many research institutes which specifically focus on rheumatic diseases including in Brisbane the Translational Research Institute, the Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation (Queensland University of Technology), University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, and elsewhere the Institute of Bone and Joint Research (University of Sydney), Garvan Institute of Medical Research (Sydney), Murdoch Children’s Medical Research Institute (Melbourne), Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (Melbourne), and the Hanson Institute and Basil Hetzel Institute (Adelaide).

The large number of rheumatological research institutes reflects a diversity of research excellence including in immunology, genetics, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, tropical medicine, epidemiology and evidence-based medicine. Australian rheumatology has also been early adopters and innovators in provision or remote care through telehealth and other approaches.

Event: 21st Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology Congress, co-hosted by the Australian Rheumatology Association (APLAR-ARA 2019)

Event dates: April 8–11, 2019

Location: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre

Website: www.aplar2019.com

Congress organiser: MCI Australia, www.mci-group.com

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