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While injury rates in elite rugby have not increased since 2002 and with research and prevention strategies contributing to a reduction in the most severe injuries, World Rugby’s Medical Commission Conference continues to focus on strategies that can further aid injury prevention, specifically at age-grade level and in developing rugby nations.The Medical Commission has overseen a range of important evidence-based programmes and initiatives that are benefiting players at all levels of the game and regarded as leading in sport. Highlights in 2015-16 included: • Ground-breaking tournament player welfare standards adopted by major elite competitions, featuring six mandatory concussion education, management and review modulesWorld Rugby continues to drive its evidence-based approach to player welfare enhancements in the game, with the eighth Medical Commission Conference concentrating on reviewing, identifying, and developing strategies to further reduce injury risk in youth rugby.EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH TACKLING INJURY PREVENTIONABOVE AND TOP RIGHTWorld Rugby continues to focus on injury prevention strategies at all levels of the game• Temporary replacement for Head Injury Assessment (HIA) adopted into law with reduction of concussed players returning to play following assessment from 56 per cent pre-HIA to 4.7 per cent at Rugby World Cup 2015• Concussion education modules and guidance for public, players and medics completed by 300,000 in 2015 and used as a benchmark in sport, adopted by Scottish parliament• Mandatory accreditation of elite rugby doctors delivering consistency of assessment and treatment for emergency care and concussion assessment and management• Introduction of pitch-side and medical room video review technology for head injury identification and assessment where available (used in over 60 per cent of permanent removal cases)• Untoward incident review system to ensure compliance of concussion management – a first for sport• Independent concussion consultants advising on return to play following concussive symptoms at Rugby World Cup 2015• Player welfare the central consideration behind future law amendments with specialist multi-disciplinary injury-prevention group overseeing largest-ever study of head injury incidents in the game• Commissioned and published peer-reviewed independent research investigating long-term health impact of rugby participationWith the latest research highlighting the importance of managing individual player training loads as part of a successful injury-prevention programme, the 2016 conference in London in November 64 WORLD RUGBY YEAR IN REVIEW 2016