The Pint of Science festival aims to deliver interesting and relevant talks on the latest science research, in a format accessible to the public – in the pub! It’s a platform that allows people to discuss research with the people who carry it out – no prior knowledge of the subject is required to attend as a member of the audience. The main festival takes place annually over three days in the month of May, simultaneously in pubs across the world. Dr Paul Chazot and Dr Ilona Obara organised the International Pint of Science Festival, Understanding and coping with chronic pain: drugs & beyond, on 20 May 2019 in Durham and 22 May 2019 in Middlesbrough.
This year's BPS-sponsored event encompassed a discussion on chronic pain, new ways to measure it quantitatively and how we can cope with it at home, in the community and at work. This involved explaining the rationale of current strategies, the issues with current pharmacological approaches (focusing on opioid overuse and tapering) and explaining the rationale for new pharmacological targets and strategies. During discussions, cultural and historic (industrial past) reasons arose to explain the unusually high levels of opioid use in the northeast, which will be explored in future research projects. Therefore, as well as drugs, we highlighted other ways that NHS pain teams can help patients to cope with and adopt self-help strategies for chronic pain (see www.livewellwithpain.co.uk).
The event was organised and run by Dr Paul Chazot and Dr Ilona Obara, with the help of Ms Joanna Quinlan, Dr Frances Cole and Dr Natalie Young, and sponsored by the Durham University Wolfson Research Institute for Health Wellbeing’s Pain Special Interest Group and the BPS.
Be sure to look out for BPS members speaking at Pint of Science events across the UK, currently planned for 7–9 September! This year the Society is, once again, working with the Pint of Science team to share pharmacology with new audiences. It’s sponsoring events in Glasgow, Leeds, London and Nottingham, covering topics from cannabinoids and caffeine to psychedelics. Don't miss your chance to chat science over a pint! Visit Pint of Science for more information and to book tickets to your closest events.
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