Dear Colleagues,
It is our pleasure and privilege to invite you to attend the ISSWSH/ISSM Joint Meeting in Atlanta, GA, USA, also the ISSWSH Annual Meeting 2019. Highlighting this ISSWSH/ISSM collaboration, the theme of the scientific program is “It Takes Two to Tango.” An exciting array of speakers and topics will delve into many aspects of female sexual function; and with the influence and expertise of the ISSM, the content will include the impact of the partner and the couple on women’s sexuality.
ISSWSH is the only society solely devoted to a multidisciplinary understanding of female sexuality across the lifespan and is led by a passionate group of international academics, clinicians, health professionals, and scientists who have largely shaped the field of female sexual medicine in the domains of clinical practice, education at all levels of training, and research. ISSM is an international society that is encouraging and working toward the highest standards of practice, education, and research in the field of human sexuality. Our joined forces for this year’s meeting have resulted in a program that contains the most current information and innovative ideas on clinical practice and research, is thought-provoking, and explores and expands into new dimensions of sexual health care for women.
Our symposiums will explore HPV in women and men, vulvodynia and vesitbulodynia, and sexual desire and the brain. We will showcase an array of clinical practice guidelines championed and published by ISSWSH and the importance of androgens and testosterone therapy for the couple. The scientific program will highlight our collaboration with other societies with lectures from experts representing ISSM, ESSM, NAMS, IUGA, SSTAR, and the Scientific Network on Female Sexual Health and Cancer.
The State of the Art talks are focused on the couple and a new paradigm for approaching sexuality and aging, as well as contemporary topics such as the impact of genital and gender conforming surgery on sexual function and sexual consent in the era of #metoo. The instructional courses and educational workshops will feature world class speakers discussing cutting edge research and clinical strategies related to the management of women’s sexual issues including hormone therapies, side effects from cancer, energy-based treatments, and mental health approaches.
We would like to thank the ISSWSH and ISSM Executive Committees and Board of Directors for their unwavering, enthusiastic support in creating this year’s program, Status Plus for their unparalleled administrative assistance and seasoned experience with conference planning, and Rose Hartzell and Luiz Otavio Torres, our co-chairs, for being so invested, committed, and generously involved throughout the conference planning process. We would also like to thank Tami Rowen and Alan Shindel for creating a robust educational program that smartly complements with this year’s scientific program. We are greatly appreciative to all of the members of the Scientific Program Committee who enthusiastically recruited speakers for the Scientific Program sessions, reviewed abstracts, and will be chairing the many outstanding sessions throughout the annual meeting.
On behalf of the Scientific Program Committee, we invite you to join us in exploring how these ideas can enrich the sexual lives of women, as well as your clinical practice and scientific endeavors. We very much look forward to seeing you in Atlanta upcoming March!
Scientific Program Committee Co-Chairs
Sharon Parish
Annamaria Giraldi