It is a great pleasure for me to invite you to the Biennial Scientific Meeting of the Pain Association of Singapore to be held on 11-12 September 2004.

This year, we are honoured and excited to launch the initiative “Asia Against Pain” with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, to form a regional grouping of Pain Societies, which are the national chapters of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). We hope that this will encourage more links to be formed and enhance collaborations among clinicians and researchers from the various ASEAN countries working in the field of pain. We also hope that the Pain Societies of our region would work together in the education of local communities to increase awareness of pain as a medical problem, and to gather public support for the establishment of pain management services, training programmes and research.

Apart from Symposia at the Main Meeting covering Pain Assessment, Interventional Treatment and Pain in Chronic Medical Conditions, we have included three workshops, including a hands-on cadaveric workshop on Pain Interventions.

We hope that this will be an opportunity not only for intellectual pursuits, but also to renew old friendships and make new friends, and to enjoy the fellowship of local and overseas co-workers in this field.

Yours sincerely

Cynthia GOH
President
Pain Association of Singapore

OVERSEAS FACULTY

Professor Kathleen Foley
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA

Dr Timothy Semple
Senior Consultant Anaesthetist; Clinical Lecturer
University of Adelaide, Royal Adelaide Hospital
South Australia