About

What is pain?

Pain is a distressing sensory or emotional experience associated with intense or damaging tissue structural damage

Acute pain generally lasts for 1-2 months, resulting from injury and while the tissue is healing.

Chronic pain lasts for more than 3 months, after healing should have occurred.

  • Sometimes there is ongoing tissue damage: e.g. arthritis, cancer, nerve damage
  • More often there is no detectable tissue damage but there is ongoing activity in the tissue damage-warning nerves in the spinal cord and brain

The chronic pain sufferer can become debilitated due to fear of moving and/or distressed about not being able to function.

The cost of pain

In 2018

Source: Painaustralia and Deloitte Access Economics

3.24 million

Australians lived with chronic pain. This is set to rise to 5.23 million by 2050

44.6%

also live with depression and anxiety

$139.3 billion

The annual cost of associated lost workdays and healthcare to the economy

5.23 million

Projected prevalence of chronic pain by 2050

About Us

Pain Foundation Ltd is the not-for-profit organisation with DGR status that helps provide secure funding to the researchers and clinicians of the Pain Management Research Institute (PMRI).  

PMRI is a Research Centre of the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney and a Centre of the Kolling Institute of Medical Research, a joint initiative between the University and Northern Sydney Local Health District. PMRI has been leading the way in the science and treatment of pain since 1990.

Pain Foundation Ltd and PMRI together pursue our broad goal of becoming a global leader in providing comprehensive pain management solutions, lifting the burden of pain from the community.

 We do this by:

  • Conducting basic/pre-clinical, clinical and applied research programs
  • Operating a national and international education program
  • In collaboration with the Michael J Cousins Pain Management & Research Centre (PMRC), treating patients with acute pain, cancer pain, and chronic non-cancer pain.

What we’ve achieved so far

Here are just a few of the key outcomes of PMRI research over the past 3 decades.

  • Documented the burden of chronic pain in NSW
  • Led to the development new drugs and devices for pain management  – including the revolutionary Evoke spinal cord stimulator
  • Developed an understanding of how cannabis controls pain
  • Demonstrated the effectiveness of pain self management programs
  • Shown that early intervention helps injured workers return to work sooner. 

Pain Management Research Institute. Dashboard 2020

PEOPLE

  • 5 research group leaders
  • 7 early/mid career researchers & post- docs
  • 11 PhD candidates, 3 completed
  • Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Health Economics
  • 2 Clinical trials staff  

RESEARCH INCOME

  • 18 grants awarded
  • Total research income:  $5.8 million

RESEARCH OUTPUTS

  • 29 peer-reviewed publications in international literature
  • Completed clinical trials of new drugs and devices

EDUCATION

  • 72 Master of Medicine students
  • 62 Refresher course participants
  • 110 Webinar participants
  • Lead of the Discipline of Pain Medicine, Sydney Medical Program 

What we need to continue this important work 

Pain Foundation’s goal is to generate more than $500,000 per annum to maintain current PMRI research initiatives (scholars, research assistants, and lab equipment); and another $1m to take on additional innovative programs to support best practice in pain research and management.

 

PMRI Leadership Team

Pain Foundation Ltd Board of Directors

Liz Rowell

Liz Rowell

Chair
GAICD, BA (Hons)
Australian Eggs - Specialist Director

Sydney Metro Retail Advisory Panel
CEO Red Ark

Christine Beard

Chairman of the AHB Shareholders Board (A H Beard Pty Ltd)

A/Prof Charles Brooker

MBChB, MRCP, FANZCA, FFPMANZCA, Pain Management Specialist, Royal North Shore Hospital

Norman Donato

LLB, B Ec, LLM

President, Commercial Law Association of Australia
Member of Intellectual Property Society of Australia and NZ

Melissa North

MAICD, MAHRI, MFIA, MICDA
Manager, Operations & Relationships, Special Teaching & Research Ltd (STaR)

Prof. Paul Glare

MBBS, FRACP, FFPM ANZCA, FAChPM RACP, FACP

Chair of Pain Medicine, University of Sydney

Paul M. Hotz

Marianne Karam

BBus (Acctg), FCPA, FAICD, FGIA, FCIS
CEO, Savant Insights, Director, Stride Mental Health Limited
Company Secretary, Girl Guides Australia

Warren J. McLeland

Warren J. McLeland

BSc B Comm. MBA

Dianne Nguyen

CEO, Eastern & Allied


Errol Woodbury

Chief Executive Officer Woodbury Financial Services

Prof. Michael J. Cousins AO
Patron

AO MBBS MDDSc FANZCA FRCA

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WE WELCOME YOUR DONATION

We’re always in need of additional funding assistance

Clinic Administration Enquiries

Bernadette Foley
Michael J Cousins Pain Management & Research Centre
Royal North Shore Hospital,
Douglas Building
T: +61 (0)2 9463 1500
F: +61 (0)2 9463 1050
bernadette.foley@health.nsw.gov.au

FUND-RAISING & DONATION ENQUIRIES

Shaan & Geoffrey Verco, Pain Foundation Ltd
c/- PMRC, Douglas Building
Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards NSW 2065
T: +61 (0)401 140 921 
Shaan@painfoundation.org.au

Pain Foundation Ltd (“PFL”) is registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission. Eligible tax deductible donations have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR 1) status with the Australian Tax Office (ABN # 87 072 480 123).  PFL’s privacy policy may be found at THIS LINK.