16 Oct 2026
Chronic Pain At Midlife with Dr. Angela Mailis | For Women
The International Menopause Society is proud to provide the interview series for women on current topics of interest in the field of menopause. In the series, IMS Board Member Dr. Marla Shapiro interviews renowned experts on menopause and midlife women’s health.
Disclaimer: The views expressed by speakers are their own and may not necessarily represent the views of the IMS.
Episode Summary:
Dr. Marla Shapiro speaks with pain specialist Dr. Angela Mailis about the International Menopause Society's white paper on pain. They explain why women experience higher rates of chronic pain, how menopause can increase pain sensitivity, and the need for proper assessment.
Highlights include the importance of resistance training and muscle-building, sleep, nutrition, stress management, avoiding risky substances, skepticism about quick fixes, and using active, evidence-based strategies. The IMS white paper is available on their website for more detail.
Host Bio:
Marla Shapiro C.M., MDCM, CCFP, MHSC, FRCPC, FCFP, NCMP
Marla Shapiro is a professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Shapiro completed medical school at McGill University and trained at the University of Toronto for her Masters of Health Science. She concluded her specialty training in Community Medicine, receiving her Fellowship in Preventive Medicine and Public Health from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Canada. She also holds a Fellowship in Family Medicine and is currently a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Shapiro is seen on CTV NewsChannel and is the medical expert on CTV’s National News and NewsChannel. She is the author of the bestselling book, Life in the Balance: My Journey with Breast Cancer.
Dr. Shapiro is a member of several advisory boards, including the Terry Fox Research Institute. She sat on the Board of Trustees for NAMS for 9 years. She was the President of the North American Menopause Society in 2017 and Scientific Chair of the NAMS Annual General meeting in 2019. She continues to produce and direct both videos in women’s health for health practitioners and the general public for NAMS. The videos can be seen on YouTube and www.menopause.org. She is on the editorial board of both Menopause and Climacteric.
She received an Award of Excellence from the College of Family Physicians of Canada and was awarded the Excellence in Creative Professional Activity by the University of Toronto. Dr. Shapiro was also chosen in the top 10 of the 50 most powerful doctors in Canada by the Medical Post.
In 2015 Dr. Shapiro was named a Member of the Order of Canada for her contributions as a family physician and trusted source of health information. One of this country’s highest civilian honours, the Order of Canada recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community, and service to the nation.
Guest Bio:Dr. Mailis is Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto and a specialist in Physical Medicne specializing exclusively in ther area of Chronic Pain for the past 44 years. She was the director and founder of the Pain Program at the Toronto Western Hospital/ University Health Network for 3 decades, and for the past 12 years the director of a large community-based pain centre in Vaughan, the Pain and Wellness Centre, funded by Ontario's Ministry of Health. She is known internationally for her work in pain as a clinician and proliferative researcher. She is also a published author, a patient advocate and an educator for pain trainees and the public.
Links and Resources:
The interview is also available as a video on YouTube
World Menopause Day Resources - including the White Paper, Fact Sheets, Infographics and Posters
Host and Guest Bios
Find out more about the International Menopause Society
