Who We Are
Promoting safety and excellence through collaborative trials in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.
ACTPRAS is the official clinical trials network for plastic surgery in Australia and New Zealand.
Formed under the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons’ Clinical Trails Network (CTANZ) initiative, ACTPRAS serves as a binational research collaborative that facilitates and coordinates multi-centre studies in our specialty.
We partner with individuals, local, national and international partner organisations and industry to facilitate high-impact, clinically relevant research. There are no membership fees- our focus is purely on academic collaboration and patient care improvement. All funds and support are directed toward enabling research projects, training contributors, and disseminating results for the public good.
Our Mission & Values
Our mission is to foster a culture of evidence-based practice and innovation in plastic, reconstructive and aesthetic surgery across Australasia. We believe that many surgical questions can best be answered by collaborative expertise and effort from multiple centers and groups, rather than isolated efforts. By uniting a broad network of surgeons, ACTPRAS aims to:
Improve Patient Care
Conduct definitive studies that address important clinical questions and improve surgical outcomes for patients.
Build Research Capability
Develop the next generation of clinician-researchers by actively engaging surgical trainees and junior doctors in research projects and providing mentorship.
Collaborate Broadly
Break down silos between hospitals, regions, and subspecialties through nationwide and international collaboration, accelerating the pace of research and innovation.
Ensure Quality and Integrity
Uphold the highest scientific and ethical standards in study design, data collection, analysis, and reporting, in line with ICMJE and Good Clinical Practice guidelines.
Be Inclusive and Supportive
Welcome contributions from anyone interested in research – from medical students to senior consultants – and provide resources to help new investigators develop their ideas. Every collaborator’s role is valued in our inclusive network.
Why ACTPRAS?
Our participants have worked collaboratively to drive large scale clinical studies that have had substantial impacts on patient care.
Studies
ACTPRAS supports a diverse portfolio of studies addressing key questions in plastic, reconstructive, hand, and burn surgery. On this page, you will find detailed information about our current trials, upcoming research projects, and completed studies. Each study entry includes the project’s focus, the scale of collaboration (number of participating sites or patients), and notable findings or status updates. Through these studies, ACTPRAS is building the evidence base that guides clinical decisions in our field.
(Details of upcoming studies will be added as protocols are finalized. If you have an idea for a multicentre study, please contact us – ACTPRAS can provide mentorship, a network of sites, and help with study infrastructure.)
National & International Partners
To amplify our impact and credibility, ACTPRAS actively partners with broader research networks and professional organizations. Nationally, ACTPRAS is part of the Clinical Trials Network Australia & New Zealand (CTANZ), a RACS initiative uniting about 13 surgical specialty trial groups under one umbrella. Through CTANZ, we share resources and expertise with sister collaboratives in other fields, and we contribute to collective efforts that have produced over 130 surgical research publications from 2015–2021. This connection means ACTPRAS members benefit from cross-disciplinary insights and established infrastructure for multicentre trials.
Internationally, ACTPRAS engages with plastic surgery research bodies around the world. We are proud to be a formal partner of the UK’s Reconstructive Surgery Trials Network (RSTN), aligning our efforts with their established network in Europe. This partnership has enabled joint studies and exchange of ideas. ACTPRAS representatives also participate in the annual European Plastic Surgery Research Council meetings and the Plastic Surgery Research Council in North America, forging links that allow our researchers to present findings on global stages. We encourage our members to take advantage of international training opportunities as well – for instance, the Oxford University Online Plastic Surgery Clinical Trials Course (a Masters-level program in evidence-based medicine) is promoted among our trainees. By staying connected globally, ACTPRAS ensures that Australasia remains at the forefront of surgical research and that our studies meet international benchmarks.
In addition, our collaborative works closely with Australian specialty societies. We have received endorsements and support from ASPS and ASAPS, especially for studies overlapping with their mandates (for example, a breast implant safety trial in conjunction with the Australian Breast Device Registry). We also collaborate with the Australia New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA) for burn surgery trials. These relationships reinforce trust in ACTPRAS’s work and help with broad dissemination of our study results and practice recommendations.
In summary, ACTPRAS stands on pillars of credibility, collaboration, and transparency. We are an organized, reputable network as evidenced by our governance structure and endorsements. We serve as the public face of plastic surgery research in our region, sharing our background, history, and ongoing studies openly. Ultimately, we exist to bring surgeons together in the spirit of inquiry and improvement – fulfilling a mission that benefits both the surgical community and the patients we care for.
Authorship Criteria
All ACTPRAS studies follow a predetermined authorship and credit policy (see Join & Contribute for details on authorship criteria). For each project, a writing committee or steering group takes responsibility for publications, and all significant contributors are recognized. Completed studies often lead to peer-reviewed publications, presentations at conferences (e.g., RACS Annual Scientific Congress, international plastic surgery forums), and changes in clinical guidelines. You can find a list of our publications on the Publications page, including links to journal articles or abstracts for further reading.