They say that ‘perseverance is stubbornness with a purpose’ and that perfectly sums up the team behind COSMEDICON 2021. We planned, we stayed on course and we forged ahead even when we were told it couldn’t possibly happen. Being the first face-to-face industry conference since the COVID-19 outbreak, and after such a difficult year for many people both personally and commercially, it was so wonderful to be with friends and colleagues again in such a supportive and nurturing atmosphere. Turn to page 28 for our conference roundup. The scientific program is also available online so contact bill@bellamedia.com.au if you would like access to the presentations.

Collaboration is key to our industry’s continuing advancements in patient safety and results. On page 38 we speak with Prof Susannah Ahern, academic lead at the Australian Breast Device Registry (ABDR), and A/Prof Gillian Farrel, one of the clinical leads, on the importance of data collection for breast devices and procedural details, as well as key findings from the 2019 Annual Report.

In today’s climate, separating fact from fiction is not always straightforward. We bust some of the myths surrounding the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines that are commonly raised in the media. As Dr Thaddeus Stappenbeck, Chairman of the Department of Inflammation and Immunity at Cleveland Clinic’s Lerner Research Institute, commented: ‘These are new therapeutics and it’s totally reasonable to be asking constructive questions with an open mind.’ Turn to page 44 to learn more and be prepared when answering questions your patients may have.

We also delve Into China’s skyrocketing $37 billion cosmetic surgery industry. While the beauty industry as a whole is increasing rapidly in China, investment bank JPMorgan predicts China is set to become the world’s biggest plastic surgery market, worth US $62 billion by 2023, even taking into account the effects of COVID-19. Read the article on page 114 to see what opportunities this expansion presents for medical device companies and for Australian surgeons.

As always, our Products & Services pages are packed with information about the latest technologies and products on the market (from page 60). There have been many new devices launched in the past few months and we are delighted to detail the best of them.
Let’s hope Australia can continue to keep COVID-19 at bay and that the vaccine really does make a difference at the global level. Hopefully, we will be attending international conferences sooner than we expected.

Michelle Kearney
Editor in Chief

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