I hope that you noticed that the newsletter did not appear in the Autumn. This was not for want of copy, colleagues have been most generous with their time, but for lack of funds. Originally, the newsletter was intended to serve only those members of EAGO who live in the United Kingdom, providing them with information on medical education and clinical management in mainland Europe. After its adoption by EAGO as a pan-European publication, the cost of publication, and particularly postage, rose sharply so that the coffers of the British Isles' section were emptied completely, making it impossible for me to pay the bills. Now we have reached an agreement that the newsletter will continue to be produced with the support of central funds. The new European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, who are in need of a forum, will also be giving their financial support, ensuring the future of the publication. There will, of course, have to be changes. It would be unreasonable to expect EBCOG to contribute to production costs without having a say in the content and direction of the newsletter in return for their generosity. In future there will be two editors: one representing EAGO and the other EBCOG, and the journal will carry articles contributed by both organisations. These changes are to be welcomed. Co-operation between EBCOG and its scientific arm EAGO has to be the hallmark of the natural evolution that is occurring in the control and development of our specialty within the European Union and within greater Europe.
A frequent criticism of the newsletter is that it has no apparent direction, no obvious identity. Let us pause for a moment to consider these accusations. First, what is it not? It is not a peer review journal with high scientific aspirations. It is a magazine that is happy to publish articles of opinion and prejudice. Obviously, news and information about EAGO and EBCOG come first, otherwise as a newsletter it has no validity, and in addition I think that there should be an emphasis on medical education and its comparisons throughout Europe. But once these obligations have been satisfied I aim to include as many as possible of those articles which you would like to read in medical magazines but that never seem to be published. So it's open season for philosophy, well represented this time, history, anthropology, archaeology or what you will. Wherever possible I shall include articles on differing management of the same conditions: Shirley Steel's Europuzzle was an attempt to achieve that. I have one more puzzle in reserve, again from the unit in Peterborough, but I am disappointed not to have received others from elsewhere; surely some of you have been confused and perplexed as we have. Finally, I want to encourage younger colleagues to write for us; and you, why don't you sit down and write that piece you have always intended to publish?
So my intention is to produce a newsletter which, whatever else it sets out to do, is a jolly good read. Perhaps you do not agree with this woolly "mission statement" - to use obnoxious, modern, bureaucratic jargon. Good, I welcome dissenting views. The one thing I have learnt over the first three editions is that most people see things their own way and everyone wants to give an editor advice. May I ask you, whether you like the newsletter or not, to write to me and make your views clear? What sort of magazine would you like to receive twice a year? The best letters, or both of them if there are only two, will be published.
I hope you like the offering this time, it has a strong philosophical bias but the intellectual burden is lightened by an interesting article from Priscilla Wegars about early Chinese immigration into the United States and the Chinese herbal doctors who set up practice there. Then there is an important contribution by Doortje Braeken, whose article "It's never too early" deals with sex education for the young. There is much besides that is interesting, so have a good read.
By the way, the newsletter is now published simultaneously on the internet <http://www.obgyn.net/eago/eago.htm> thanks to Roberta Speyer and her organisation, Elecomm.
Brian Hackman
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The European Association of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians has established its scientific presence in Europe through annual congresses. To strengthen its presence in the scientific arena it must encourage collaborative clinical research in Europe which has traditionally developed out of personal contact between individual investigators. The congress is a forum for the establishment, development and maintenance of these contacts. From their inception in 1985, the EAGO congresses have concentrated on clinical practice and evidence based medicine. The Dublin Congress in June of this year will be no exception.
Funds provided by the European Union have given significant impetus to European scientific research. While obstetric and gynaecological problems are not listed among those subjects to be given priority, our specialty covers cancer and infectious diseases which are in the European Union's biomedical programme. The clinicians and clinical investigators participating in EAGO congresses are encouraged to use the opportunity to establish collaborative clinical studies, tailored to comply with these conditions. The European Union's programme, "Europe against Cancer", focuses both on breast cancer and cervical cancer. A massive propaganda campaign to be launched in October 1997 should mean more funding directed towards the investigation of these diseases. In addition to the European Union countries, it is hoped that those who occupy observer status may also benefit from the campaign.
European undergraduate and postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynaecology varies greatly from one country to another because of individual national development and local traditions. Although this diversity will remain, and should be respected, a common structure and minimum requirements are needed to set standards. In this respect EAGO has collaborated with the European Board and College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists by providing a platform for postgraduate training courses held in association with the annual congresses. This year, in Dublin, a special session, chaired by the presidents of EBCOG and EAGO, will be organised on the theme: "Subspecialisation in Obstetrics and Gynaecology". Speakers will be invited to support and oppose subspecialisation in a debate which will be followed by discussion from the floor. The session will end with the taking of an opinion poll.
EAGO aims to increase the importance of its official journal, "The European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Biology". If we meet this challenge by concentrating our efforts on collaboration with EBCOG, we should be able to make this publication the "Green Journal" of Europe. Our publisher, Elsevier, shares this ambition.
The Dublin Congress in June 1997 will be of special importance for EAGO's future, as significant changes will take place among the officers and Board Members of the organisation. The incumbent President-elect, Raffaele Nappi, will take over the direction of the society and elections for a new Secretary General, President-elect and Vice President will determine the course that EAGO will take over the next three years.
As the retiring President, I wish the new leadership every success.
Markku Markku Seppälä, President of EAGO
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Hungary may not be at the geographical centre of Europe, but Hungarians feel that they are at Europe's cultural heart. Hungary's twentieth century history has been marred by invasion and by the dominance of Communism; after the first suppressed attempt to shake off the shackles in 1956, the revolution was achieved more peacefully in the 1990s as it was across much of the remainder of Eastern Europe. Budapest, 1100 years old in 1996, must be one of the most beautifully located of Europe's capitals, spread on either side of the great Danube waterway, its two halves linked by gracious bridges. The themes of freedom, innovation and linkage marked the 1996 Congress of EAGO in Budapest, the third to be held east of the old 'iron curtain'. It was a pleasure and a privilege to join our Hungarian colleagues in celebrating their membership of the European medical community.
This was an EAGO Congress to remember, certainly the largest yet and scientifically the most interesting. The Budapest Convention Centre was an ideal venue, with plenty of room for large and small sessions as well as for the extensive trade exhibition. At the start of the congress we were reminded of Hungary's great medical tradition and, in particular, of the amazing insight of Semmelweis into the origins of puerperal fever which had been responsible for maternal mortality rates of up to 30% in the early years of the nineteenth century. In 1847 he introduced the concept of a chlorine hand wash after post mortem examinations, which were performed by the obstetricians themselves, and over the following eight months the mortality in his clinic fell from 18% to 0.19%. It was a bitter twist of fate that he died of the very fever that he had done so much to conquer, contracted through a cut finger that he sustained at a post mortem. Many congress participants were able to pay homage to Semmelweis by visiting the excellent medical museum that has been established in his birthplace.
As at any major congress, it was impossible for one participant to attend every event. I was conscious that in making my selection I was going to miss some important contributions, but with over 240 papers presented and 137 posters scheduled during the three day meeting, it was necessary to choose carefully. There were certainly some treats. Roy Homburg's overview of ovulation induction in polycystic ovarian disease in the Serono Symposium was masterly. Our President, Markku Seppälä, introduced us elegantly (as always) to the complexities of Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein (IGFBP-1) in the ovary and to the role of glycodelins in the endometrium. We were stunned by the images of the microstructure of the genital tract revealed by Motta's 3-dimensional colour scanning electron microscopy. Prof. Pickel, Burghardt's successor in Graz, presented the results of the analysis of giant histological sections (up to 16 cm across!) of 479 stage IIb cervical cancers and multiple regression analysis of the resultant prognostic factors, giving confirmation that pre-operative magnetic resonance scanning is significantly more informative than clinical staging. There was a fascinating symposium on the management of breech delivery, with contributions from Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands and Slovenia: we certainly know what the questions are, but I'm still not sure that we have the answers in this difficult clinical area.
But I thought that one of the best sessions was the workshop on Research in Progress. Two young Hungarians, Robert Poka and Zsoltan Bozoki, presented papers on their research on HPV and Node Status in Cervical Carcinoma and on Chaos Theory and Power Spectrum Analysis in Computerised Cardiotocography. The papers were scientifically interesting and were presented in excellent English; one of the benefits of the lack of any relationship of the Hungarian language to any other European language being that the mastering of a foreign language is mandatory for adequate external communication! Each paper was discussed by two professors - Poka's by Ludwig (Basel, Switzerland - EAGO Past-President and appointed Honourary Member of EAGO at the General Assembly) and Michalas (Athens, Greece), and Bozoki's by Van Geijn (Amsterdam, Netherlands) and Mandruzzato (Trieste, Italy). These discussions were well-informed, the discussants being experts in their fields and having had the advantage of seeing the papers in advance. Finally, the presenters had the opportunity to sum up and to speculate on future research. This format helped to demonstrate what EAGO is all about - facilitating the interchange of ideas between nations in a constructive and friendly atmosphere and supporting young investigators and specialists in training.
The social side of the congress was also well organised. We were entertained at various points by a string quartet, a folklore ensemble and the band of the Budapest fire brigade. The welcome reception was generously catered, the congress banquet sumptuous and the final Hungarian night well provided with gypsy musicians and a memorably statuesque singer. Budapest itself is a city well worth visiting: whether cruising down the Danube to Margaret Island and its park, visiting the opera house or the art galleries, shopping in the Vaci utca, admiring the produce in the well stocked market, enjoying a hot dip at the Gellert baths, eating oneself silly at a restaurant called 'Fatál', or simply strolling and admiring the Art Nouveau architecture, there was always something enjoyable to do outside or after the congress sessions.
Need I say more? The 1996 EAGO Congress was an unqualified success. The thanks of the participants must go to the organisers for making their visit to Budapest such an interesting and enjoyable experience. I have no doubt that many of us will want to re-visit this fascinating city and to travel further afield to see more of the country. The only problem is that we shall also need to find time for future EAGO Congresses. On to Dublin '97 - is Guinness a fair exchange for Tokay?
David Horwell is a Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist at Luton & Dunstable Hospital, Luton, United Kingdom. He is a Councillor and Treasurer of the United Kingdom section of EAGO.
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INVITATION TO DUBLIN '97 FOR THE 12TH EAGO CONGRESS
25th - 28th June 1997, Dublin, Ireland.
by Dr Michael Turner, President of the CongressI have great pleasure in inviting you to the 12th Congress of EAGO to be held in Dublin in June 1997. Dublin, Ireland's capital city, is as historic as it is charming. A city steeped in culture and music, Dubliners are well-known throughout the world for friendliness and their innate capacity for enjoyment.
The congress will be held in the environs of Trinity College. Founded in 1592, the university occupies a site of some 37 acres in the centre of Dublin. The university is within easy walking distance of major hotels, theatres, fine Georgian buildings and other places of interest. Trinity College has had many illustrious graduates including writers such as Dean Swift and Samuel Beckett, Irish patriots such as Wolfe Tone and Douglas Hyde, and the Nobel Prize winning scientist E.T.S. Walton.
Dublin is a fast growing, modern and vibrant city with an intriguing mixture of the old and the new coexisting in harmony. The city marked its millennium year in 1988 with great celebration, and continues to grow in strength as we approach the 21st century, especially as an international business centre. For visitors to Dublin there is a wealth of activities to attract and entertain them whatever their interests - from literature to a night at the theatre, from shopping on Grafton Street to a day on the golf course, from the aural pleasures of our traditional music to seeing the city-sights and visiting our museums - Dublin can offer all this and much more.
Ireland's gynaecologists eagerly await the arrival of the EAGO conference in Dublin. In our second announcement brochure we will have details of the scientific programme which will include free communications, poster and video presentations.
The social programme is beginning to take shape with evening functions you will remember for a long time, and other social activities which will include the EAGO Golf Classic on Wednesday 25th June and a Day at the Races on Saturday 28th.
Mark your diaries and let the fabled "land of a thousand welcomes" welcome you in June 1997.
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