Posts Tagged ‘Health’

GLMA’s 30th annual meeting witnesses Lebanon-MASH’s first

Posted: October 29, 2012 in Health, Human Rights
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This September I attended GLMA‘s 30th Annual Conference in San Francisco, California. It was as expected rich, eye-opening, insightful, motivational and educational. This year’s conference, hosted in the city “where it all began”, was the largest to-date with nearly 450 attendees and over 60 educational sessions distributed over 5 days and offering up to 19 CME (continuing medical education) credits.

As usual I was Tweeting and Facebooking live. Check my official Page‘s timeline for details (just scroll down to September 2012) or view photos from the event here.

During the conference, GLMA announced their new tag line. The Gay & Lesbian Medical Association will now be known as GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality, or simply “GLMA”. ”The shift recognizes that all health professionals and our supporters have a role in improving the health and well-being of LGBT people and that GLMA is an organization that welcomes and serves everyone who shares in that belief” stated the post-conference newsletter.

This year six countries were represented including Canada and Lebanon. One Lebanese medical student was flown from Lebanon to attend this conference sponsored by a generous donation from two Lebanese physicians. This student along with 7 Lebanese physicians, including myself, convened on the side of GLMA to launch the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health: Leb-MASH. I would like to thank GLMA president Dr. Desiray Bailey and executive director Dr. Hector Vargas for meeting with founding members to discuss potential  collaboration between GLMA and Leb-MASH. I will share more details about this ground-breaking organization once structuring matures and its work commences.

The Annual Conference in Numbers*• 445 Attendees
• 139 Speakers
• 46 Concurrent Workshops
• 23 Oral Research Presentations
• 18 Poster Research Presentations
• 9 Plenary Presentations
• 19 Credit Hours
• 19 Exhibitors
• 10 Formal Networking Events
• 36 States represented
• 6 Countries represented
• $13,000 raised for the Lesbian Health Fund*Source: GLMA Newsletter		  

“These are not just numbers though. They represent increased knowledge of LGBT health and better care for LGBT individuals. Participating in the 30th Annual Conference provided you with the latest in LGBT health information and the tools you need to make a difference in the lives of the LGBT individuals and families for whom you care” stated the post-conference newsletter. You can view the full program from the conference here.

As usual, the conference ends with GLMA’s signature event, the Gala Banquet & Achievement Awards Recognition. This year the gala was hosted at the Green Room in the San Francisco War Memorial. GLMA recognized and honoured six individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions to the LGBT community and their exemplary commitment to improving the quality of health services for LGBT people. You can view a list of this year’s recipients and see photos from the evening by clicking here.

Next GLMA meeting is scheduled for September 18-21, 2013 in Denver, CO, USA. It will again host the second annual meeting for the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health. If you or someone you know are interested in advancing the health of sexual minorities in Lebanon, or the sexual health of all Lebanese, I urge you to join GLMA’s 31st annual meeting and attend Leb-MASH’s second annual meeting. Be part of the change, get the tools to enable you to make a difference in the lives and health of many.

Chemotherapy safe in pregnancy! العلاج الكيميائي أثناء الحمل لا يؤثر على الجنين

Posted: February 20, 2012 in Health, عربي
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This post is about a recent study released online on Feb. 10th 2012 in The Lancet Oncology as an early publication.  In brief the study assessed “children who were prenatally exposed to maternal cancer staging and treatment, including chemotherapy.” They examined 68 pregnancies who were exposed to 236 cycles of different kinds of chemotherapies. 70 children were assessed at age 18 months, 5—6, 8—9, 11—12, 14—15, and 18 years. Assessment included examining neurological and cognitive functioning or IQ, heart functioning, general health and development, hearing, memory, attention and behaviour.

The study concluded that “fetal exposure to chemotherapy was not associated with increased CNS, cardiac or auditory morbidity, or with impairments to general health and growth compared with the general population.”

The importance of this study lies in providing a perspective on long-term outcomes of newborns after exposure to chemotherapy during pregnancy. With such reassuring findings, we should consider avoiding early deliveries that subjects those newborns to risks of prematurity.

It is important to realize that not all chemotherapies are safe and the ones included in this study are those that are know to be tolerated during pregnancy.

Below is an Arabic version:

أثبتت دراسة أوروبية حديثة أن إخضاع السيدة الحامل للعلاج الكيميائي لا يؤثر على صحة الجنين، خاصة إذا حدث ذلك في الفترة الممتدة ما بين الشهر الرابع والسادس من الحمل.حيث قام أخصائيون أوروبيون تابعون لـLeuven Catholic University في علاج السرطان بمراجعة حالة 68 سيدة حامل أنجبن 70 طفلا بعد أن خضعن لعلاج الكيميائي ضد السرطان، وفحصوا صحة الأطفال عند مولدهم كما عند بلوغهم 18 شهرا، ثم بعد ذلك عند بلوغهم سن الخامسة وحتى بلوغهم 18 عاما.وقد شمل الفحص الحالة الصحية العامة للأطفال، كما تم تفحص ما إذا كان لديهم قصور في الجهاز العصبي المركزي أو القلب أو السمع وتم اختبار مهاراتهم المعرفية والعقلية كذلك.

وقد تبين للباحثين عدم وجود أي دليل على تضرر صحة الأطفال من جراء العلاج الكيميائي الذي خضعت له والداتهن أثناء الحمل بهم، إلا أن الأطفال الذين ولدوا قبل الميعاد الطبيعي أظهروا مهارات معرفية أقل من الباقين، ولكن هذه مشكلة عادة ما تصيب كل الأطفال الذين يولدون قبل الميعاد، حتى دون تعرضهم لعلاج كيميائي.

وقد أوصت الدراسة بعدم القلق في إخضاع الأم الحامل للعلاج الكيميائي، ونصحت الأطباء بألا يحثوا المرأة الحامل المصابة بالسرطان بالولادة قبل ميعادها لإخضاعها لاحقاً للعلاج.

وأشارت الدراسة إلى أنه “يمكن إخضاع السيدة الحامل للعلاج الكيميائي بدءاً من الأسبوع الرابع عشر من الحمل، ولكن كي يستعيد النخاع العظمي قوته ولتقليل مخاطر تسمم الأم والجنين أو حدوث نزيف يجب أن يتم التخطيط للولادة على الأقل بعد ثلاثة أسابيع من آخر جرعة كيماوية تعطى للحامل، كما يجب أن تتوقف الجرعات عند الأسبوع الـ35 وذلك تلافيا لحدوث ولادة تلقائية في ذلك الوقت”.

ولكن يقر فريق الباحثين بوجود حاجة لعمل المزيد من الدراسات لمعرفة ما إذا كان للعلاج الكيميائي تأثير على هؤلاء الأولاد في الأمد البعيد. المصدر

من المهم أن نتذكر أن هذا الحديث لا ينطبق على كل علاج كيميائي انما على بعض الأدوية التي كنا نعتقد أنها أمنة، فتأتي هذه الدراسة الآن لتؤكد ذلك.

Gay & Lesbian Medical Association convene in Atlanta

Posted: November 17, 2011 in Health, Human Rights
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The 29th Annual Conference of the Gay & Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA)
Sept 21 – 25, 2011
Atlanta, Georgia, USA

I was one of 375 healthcare professionals from across the United States and Canada who converged in Atlanta for the 29th annual GLMA conference, Sept 21 – 25, at the W Hotel Midtown.

The conference aims at improving healthcare for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals. This is the largest such gathering of medical professionals in the world. With over 90 workshops and plenary sessions, this was one of GLMA’s largest Annual Conferences. Topics covered a broad spectrum of LGBT health issues. Attendees were updated  on most recent research and provided with tools to promote healthcare equality.

Besides the great educational value, the conference becomes an efficient networking tool. You strengthen old connections and create new ones. During a networking lunch, my friends Dr. Rami Baz, Dr. Brian Fitzsimmons and his partner Dr. Michael Farmer, and I shared the table with Dr. Matt Heinz, member of the House of Representatives in Arizona, and Dr. Desirey Bailey, president-elect for GLMA.

At the table, Dr. Heinz discussed his Lebanese heritage (his maternal grandfather comes from Dhour Shweir) and his experience as an openly gay politician in relatively conservative Arizona. On stage, he emphasized on the vital role physicians can play in policy making. He called upon other healthcare professionals to become politically active. Projecting from his personal experience, he believes in our potential as physicians to be essential catalysts for change. His speech was empowering.

The plenary session title “Encountering Ourselves and the Other: a Multi-faith Approach to Relational Centred Care” was intriguing. Judaism was represented by Rabbi Joshua Lesser, NHL (the organizer), Christianity by Reverend Laurie Robbins, MDiv, MA, and Buddhism by Pamela Ayo Yetunde. While the session was thought provoking and inspirational, it was disappointing to see Islam alienated. With the alarming growth of Islamophobia and further marginalization of this religious minority, it was essential to include Islam in the panel and throw a spotlight on the LGBT-affirming face of the Muslim faith.

Surgeon General Regina Benjamin spoke about the National Prevention Strategy and shared personal stories one of which highlighted her realization that cultural competency is imperative for healthcare providers. We also heard from Dr. Joycelyn Elders, the 15th Surgeon General under President Bill Clinton. I was actively tweeting their speeches that reflected the importance of reaching out to straight allies to better advance the cause.

This year’s achievement award winners included United States Representative John Lewis, Institute of Medicine (IOM), World Professional Association for Transgender Health, Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative, Dr. C. Harris, and Harvard Medical School Kinsey Two-Sixers LGBT group.

The five-day meeting concluded with a fantastic Gala hosted by “fumerist” Kate Clinton at the famous Egyptian Ballroom of Atlanta’s “Fabulous Fox”. The historic Fox Theatre dazzled the crowd with its impressive mosque-like structure, minarets, onion domes, and an interior décor even more lavish than its façade.

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This multidisciplinary meeting is worth your time. If you are a physician or healthcare professional consider attending next year’s meeting in San Francisco, Sept. 2012.