Active membership in the APS is open to all health care professionals engaged in pain research or in the diagnosis and management of pain syndromes. This category of membership is open to any company that has a real and substantial interest in the objectives of the Society and satisfies any other criteria established in the by-laws. A company that is a corporate member will be given recognition in the Society's newsletters and official programs and will be able to display at local meetings. Only financial, regular members have the right to vote at ordinary, annual or special meetings of the society, may hold official positions within the society and be able to propose or second any class of new member. The APS offers an important forum for interested health care workers to discuss the increasingly complex issues relating to the management of pain.
Active involvement gives opportunity to develop valuable professional contacts.
The newsletter of the APS is published quarterly and offers clinical notes from meetings attended by members around the world, administrative and organisational news, together with a calendar of events. The Annual Scientific Meeting Features plenary sessions, workshops, symposia, free papers, posters and exhibits. The meetings regularly attract over 500 delegates. Professional development courses for the general membership and special interest groups offer a series of in-depth half day clinical sessions dealing with the latest in pain research and professional practice. The first SIG currently functioning is on Nursing Issues.