Priorities Conference, Bangkok, Thailand
Dr. Anita Lal heads to Bangkok
“I attended the Priorities Conference in May organised by the International Society for Priorities in Health, hosted by the Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Program Ministry of Public Health, Bangkok, Thailand. The conference was themed ‘Shaping the Future of Health Prioritization: Strategies for Sustainable Solutions’ and I took part in an organised session titled ‘Equity in HTA: Country Case Studies on Advancing the Building Blocks to Conduct a Distributional Cost-Effectiveness Analysis’. My presentation described methods for routinely estimating the population health impact of new medicines and technologies on Indigenous Australians. The session also included presentations from India, Japan, China and Thailand. The conference has led to the formalisation of a collaborative network of researchers in the Asia-pacific region interested in equity-informative methods in economic evaluation.
Other highlights included Thai massages, the food (including the best conference food thanks to the Hilton) and a boat trip to a nearby night market, discovering that on a regular Thursday night the river was as lively as Sydney harbour on new years eve!”
31st European Congress on Obesity, Venice, Italy
Hear from Dr. Vicki Brown about her time in Italy
“I attended the 31st European Congress on Obesity from May 12-15 in Venice, which saw a record number of delegates. One of the standout moments was the excellent plenary lecture by Assoc Prof David Bann from UCL, who spoke on socioeconomic position and obesity. The conference featured several presentations on the economics of obesity, including an abstract session focused on obesity costs and inequalities, with an emphasis on new pharmaceuticals for obesity management.
I also had the opportunity to present my work on the economics of community-based obesity prevention interventions, including spillover effects and a recent discrete choice experiment I completed, which estimated preferences and values for early childhood obesity intervention outcomes. Between sessions and networking, I managed to explore the beautiful canals of Venice and the Lido, racking up a significant number of steps each day.”
The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research & European Health Economics Association conferences
PhD student, Anh Ho, reflects on her experience abroad
“I just wrapped up the third year of my PhD with fantastic opportunities to attend and present my research at two prestigious conferences: the ISPOR conference in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in May 2024, and the European Health Economics Association (EuHEA) conference in Vienna, Austria in July 2024. My presentations focused on the barriers and facilitators of user engagement with web-based mental health interventions in young Australians.
Attending these conferences was a great honour. I had the chance to meet, connect, and learn from brilliant health economists and researchers from around the world. Engaging with experts and sharing our diverse research interests was incredibly enriching. The discussions and feedback I received have been invaluable in refining my research and gaining new perspectives on post-PhD career pathways in both industry and academia.
Beyond the conference experience, I had a wonderful time exploring the diverse cultures in these two countries. To me, Atlanta is a peaceful city. Its slow-paced life made me feel at home to some extent, similar to being in my hometown, Hue, Vietnam. I appreciated its dynamic and welcoming atmosphere, which complemented my conference experience perfectly.
Vienna, on the other hand, is truly a lovely city. I explored the city, immersing myself in its beautiful architecture, historic churches, and charming streets. I indulged in some Viennese specialties, including the famous Viennese coffee and boiled beef. These moments of city exploration added to the overall fantastic experience of my journey.
My PhD journey has been fulfilled by these incredible opportunities, which have been truly helpful for my professional growth and have enriched my travel experiences. I look forward to applying the insights and connections gained from these conferences to my future research endeavours.”
