Dr John Chaplin is currently returning from Kaohsiung Taiwan where he attended the 3rd meeting of the APTS. The meeting was was supported by the Taiwanese Head and Neck Cancer Surgery Society. There were over 700 participants from all over the world and John presented an invited lecture on the use of Harmonic scalpel in thyroid surgery. The talks covered all aspects of thyroid cancer, thyroid nodules, goitre  surgery and included multidisciplinary management of locally advanced, poorly differentiated and anaplastic thyroid cancer and also  management of papillary micro carcinoma. It was culturally interesting with surgeons and specialists from a diverse range of regional and international nations in attendance. The APTS is now affiliated with the American  Head and Neck Surgery Society (AHNS) Endocrine Surgery Group and this has given great endorsement to the APTS.