Parliamentary Friends of Arthritis event

Arthritis Australia went to federal Parliament again on 21 March for the first 2023 meeting of the Parliamentary Friends of Arthritis, a group of MPs and Senators who have come together to support the arthritis community, some of whom are also living with arthritis.

Parliamentarians met with people and families living with arthritis, as well as some of our leading researchers and clinicians, and other stakeholders.

Professor Ian Harris spoke to the group on how avoiding unnecessary surgeries through improved preventative care can lead to better outcomes for arthritis patients and the health system, and Dr Rebecca James presented her research on how we can better support children and families in the first 100 days of childhood arthritis. We also received media coverage of these issues in the Australian and across radio and online news. To read our media release, click here.

The event was held in collaboration with the Parliamentary Friends of Child and Adolescent Health and the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation Australia, and included the launch of the Australian Juvenile Arthritis Registry by the Hon Ged Kearney MP, Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care.

We’d like to thank Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Arthritis, Senator Louise Pratt, and co-convenors Dr Anne Webster MP and Senator Janet Rice, as well as Dr Mike Freelander MP and all the parliamentarians who have joined the group