Dr. Hanish Bagga
BMed FRACP GDClinEp CCPU
Dr Hanish Bagga is a Consultant Rheumatologist and co founder of Brisbane Rheumatology, with over 20 years’ experience caring for patients across New South Wales and Queensland.
He graduated MBBS from the University of Newcastle in 1992 and completed his FRACP in Rheumatology at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, in 2001.
He later earned a Graduate Diploma in Epidemiology and Biostatistics (University of Newcastle, 2004) and undertook three years of laboratory and clinical research at the Institute of Bone and Joint Research, exploring intra articular hyaluronic acid as a disease modifying therapy in knee osteoarthritis.
After establishing the Mid North Coast Arthritis Clinic in 2005, Dr Bagga grew outreach services to Nambucca Heads, Armidale and Grafton, set up the region’s first Osteoporosis and dedicated Pulmonary Hypertension clinics, and led Coffs Clinical Trials for new rheumatologic therapies—publishing extensively on medication compliance, anti drug antibodies and ultrasound guided care.
He completed a Certificate in Clinician Performed Ultrasound in 2018, further enhancing diagnostic precision in musculoskeletal disease.
In late 2019 Dr Bagga relocated to Brisbane to support his family’s educational needs and, in 2022, merged his practice with that of the late A/Prof Philip Robinson to form Brisbane Rheumatology on Wickham Terrace.
Today, alongside a growing team of specialist colleagues, he continues to care for thousands of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, spondyloarthritis and a broad spectrum of connective tissue diseases. He is an active member of the Australian Rheumatology Association and the American College of Rheumatology.
Over two decades of clinical practice have convinced Dr Bagga that targeting cytokines alone is not enough.
He now integrates the latest insights in epigenetics—addressing diet, exercise, stress management and the microbiome—to optimise response to biologic therapies and support whole person health.
He has a particular interest in psoriatic arthritis and is committed to empowering patients with personalised, evidence based strategies that blend cutting edge medicine with lifestyle and wellness interventions.
Practice update
After more than two decades in clinical practice, Dr Bagga is stepping back from full-time work and reducing his clinical hours, with a period of extended leave planned. He remains part of the Brisbane Rheumatology team. Dr Bagga is no longer taking on new patients, but will continue to review referrals addressed to him and allocate each to the most appropriate rheumatologist at Brisbane Rheumatology.
Over the coming year, patients will be transitioned from his care to other rheumatologists. Caring for patients over so many years has been a genuine privilege, and ensuring continuity of that care is his priority. Each patient will be contacted directly when their transfer is arranged, and will be handed over to a colleague within the practice with their history and treatment plan carried across so nothing is lost. For patients travelling a longer distance to attend appointments, our team can help facilitate a transfer to a closer clinic where one is available and suitable.
Clinical Trials
- UCB RA 0055 C-Early (Cimzia) 2012-2014
- UCB RA 0087 (PMOS Cimzia) 2012
- ABBOTT OPERA (Humira) (P12-072) 2012-2014
- ROCHE (PMOS ActUp Actemra) (ML28144) 2012-2015
- ROCHE (S/C “Ac-Cute” Actemra) ML 28703) 2012-2015
- QUINTILES CLINICAL TRIAL- Oskira (Astra-Zeneca) 2011-2013
- CELGENE PALACE 3 CLINICAL TRIAL (Apremilast) 2010-2013
- ROCHE WA 17044 IV ACTEMRA 2008-2010
- ROCHE MIRROR MABTHERA CLINICAL TRIAL 2006- 2009
- INVESTIGATOR HUMIRA/MRI STUDY 2013-2015
- CARBYLAN OA CLINICAL TRIAL (COR 1.1) 2015-2016
- 1. SPHINX PAH Epixiban Trial 2013 -
- Daiichi-Sankyo Fibromyalgia Clinical Trial DS E311 2015 - 2016
- Daiichi-Sankyo Fibromyalgia Clinical Trial DS E312 2016 -
- BMS IM101-550 (Orencia in Early RA) 2016 -
- AbbVie M13-549 (JAK Clinical Trial) 2016 -
- UCB AS 0006 (Cimzia in nr-AxSpa) 2016 –
- ADAS 2016-
- BMS ASCORE Open-Label Orencia 2016 –
- NOVARTIS CAIN457H2315 Secukinumab 2016 -
Qualifications & Memberships
- Studied Medicine at University of Newcastle, completed 1992
- Completed FRACP in Rheumatology 2001
- Graduate Diploma in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics - University of Newcastle 2005
- Certificate of Clinician Performed Ultrasound CCPU - Australian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine 2013
- Member of Royal Australian College of Physicians, RACP
- Member of Australian Rheumatology Association, ARA
- Member of the American College of Rheumatology, ARA
- Member of Australian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine, ASUM
- Member of Australian Medical Association, AMA
Publications
A Practical Approach to the Use of Conventional Synthetic, Biologic and Targeted Synthetic Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs for the Treatment of Inflammatory Arthritis in Patients with a History of Malignancy.
AUTHORS: Wong PKK, Bagga H, Barrett C, Chong G, Hanrahan P, Kodali T, Marabani M, Prince HM, Riordan J, Swarbrick P, White R, Young L.
CITATIONS: Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2018 Sep 1;20(10):64. doi:
10.1007/s11926-018-0774-9. Review. PubMed PMID: 30173305.
A practical approach to vaccination of patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases in Australia.
AUTHORS: Wong PKK, Bagga H, Barrett C, Hanrahan P, Johnson D, Katrib A, Leder K, Marabani M, Pentony P, Riordan J, White R, Young L.
CITATIONS: Intern Med J. 2017 May;47(5):491-500. doi: 10.1111/imj.13371. Review.
PubMed PMID: 28101910
How well do patients understand written instructions?: Health literacy assessment in rural and urban rheumatology outpatients.
AUTHORS: Wong PK, Christie L, Johnston J, Bowling A, Freeman D, Joshua F, Bird P, Chia
K, Bagga H.
CITATIONS: Medicine (Baltimore). 2014 Nov;93(25):e129. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000000129. PubMed PMID: 25437024; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4616379.
Pilot study assessing the novel use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in patients with rheumatoid arthritis to improve patient attitudes and adherence to medication.
AUTHORS: Joplin SK, van der Zwan R, Bagga H, Joshua F, Wong PK
CITATIONS: Int J Rheum Dis. 2016 Jul;19(7):658-64. doi: 10.1111/1756-185X.12402. Epub 2014 May 20. PubMed PMID: 24839920.
Improving osteoporosis management following minimal trauma fracture in a regional setting: The Coffs Fracture Card Project.
AUTHORS: Tulk C, Lane P, Gilbey A, Johnston H, Chia K, Mitchell L, Bagga H, Wong PK.
CITATIONS: Aust J Rural Health. 2013 Dec;21(6):343-9. doi: 10.1111/ajr.12072. PubMed PMID: 24299440.
The initial 18 months of the first multi-disciplinary regional Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Clinic in Australia.
AUTHORS: Bagga H, Chia KS, Freeman D, Hales L, Henderson DS, Kotlyar E, Law D, Mudholkar P, Tulk C, Waites JH, Wong PK.
CITATIONS: Aust J Rural Health. 2011 Apr;19(2):89-94. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2011.01189.x. PubMed PMID: 21438951.
Measures of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity in Australian clinical practice.
AUTHORS: Taylor A, Bagga H.
CITATIONS: ISRN Rheumatol. 2011;2011:437281. doi: 10.5402/2011/437281. Epub 2011 May 4. PubMed PMID: 22389794; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3263749.
Predictors of clinical response to intraarticular Hylan injections -- a prospective study using synovial fluid measures, clinical outcomes, and magnetic resonance imaging.
AUTHORS: Anandacoomarasamy A, Bagga H, Ding C, Burkhardt D, Sambrook PN, March LM.
CITATIONS: . J Rheumatol. 2008 Apr;35(4):685-90. Epub 2008 Feb 15. PubMed PMID: 18278831.
Longterm effects of intraarticular hyaluronan on synovial fluid in osteoarthritis of the knee.
AUTHORS: Bagga H, Burkhardt D, Sambrook P, March L.
CITATIONS: J Rheumatol. 2006 May;33(5):946-50. PubMed PMID: 16652425.
Epidemiology of osteoarthritis in Australia.
AUTHORS: March LM, Bagga H.
CITATIONS: Med J Aust. 2004 Mar 1;180(5 Suppl):S6-10. Review. PubMed PMID: 14984356.
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