An active network—A stronger International Epidemiological Association

Charles du V Florey

For the past 48 years the International Epidemiological Association (IEA) has supported the discipline of epidemiology with regular world and regional conferences, publications, and the dissemination of research findings through the Bulletin and, since 1972, the International Journal of Epidemiology. Despite its wide-ranging activities there have been demands from the membership to increase support for our discipline.

Council has attempted to define the future role of the Association. We thought that the aims and objectives of the Association needed to be updated to meet current needs. We were also concerned to clarify the mission of the Association so that we did not get side-tracked into activities of marginal relevance.

Since the aims described in the Association's constitution1 were written, both the Association and epidemiology have changed fundamentally. The Association moved from a small group of friends and like-minded researchers working in a little known field to a membership heading towards the 1500 mark. Many epidemiologists no longer perceive the survival of their discipline as dependent on joining together across nations— epidemiology has come of age and has proven its value in the improvement of human health.

Faced by these challenges to the success of the IEA, we have evaluated our present position and devised new strategies to encourage greater participation of members. We have published our view of the future of the IEA on the Association's web site.2 We have proposed that the original aims be supplemented so that they would now be as follows:

The first paragraph of the mission statement is little changed from the original vision of the Association. However, until now, the activities and services offered by the Association owe much to the dedication of a relatively small number of members who contribute their time and skills without reimbursement. We want to offer a route for other members to volunteer their skills for improving the practice of epidemiology worldwide.

Widening the scope of the Association to meet demands for collaboration through volunteerism poses many practical problems for Council to solve. How will communication be facilitated? How will volunteers be sought within the membership to take the initiative to stimulate, organize, and even manage the projects? What will be the priorities for action? What funding or sponsorship will come from the IEA? What will be the mechanism for awarding IEA sponsorship?

Council started discussion of a possible future for the Association 4 years ago and has now moved to the consultation stage. Our vision for the future1 took longer to prepare than initially expected, as we needed to reconcile various points of view. The published version, unanimously approved by Council, is open for discussion by the membership. The paper defines the boundaries of the involvement we currently regard as practicable, but we expect it will be regularly updated.

The first requirement for the support of volunteerism is a much faster method of communication between members of the Association than has been used in the past. We have set up a list server of members' email addresses. We also have an active web site (http://www.IEAWeb.org). The list server and the web site will be two of the tools by which a programme of volunteerism can be supported.

The second requirement is the setting up of regional groups who can concentrate on regional issues and provide first-hand knowledge of issues of importance. To date there is only one established regional group, but it demonstrates what can be done. The European Epidemiology Federation, led and sponsored by the IEA, brings together all the European societies to consider cross-national issues of intercontinental relevance affecting epidemiological research, particularly data protection legislation3 and ethical issues.4 It ensures an IEA joint conference with one of the national societies in Europe in years when there is no World Congress of Epidemiology. The European Group also implements an annual regional course attended by students from around the world (EEPE/IEA) and was responsible for the editing of the recently published Teaching Epidemiology,5 a text for teachers.

Thirdly, we believe there is a role for the Association to play in building bridges between epidemiologists from industrialized nations and those from industrializing nations to facilitate and promote collaboration in research and teaching. Regional groups could promote linkages at a group level, but further thought is needed to develop mechanisms to build co-operation cross-nationally among individual epidemiologists around the globe.

Lastly, we believe the Association should become more visible to the outside world. Despite its many activities, we suspect relatively few non-members are aware of its contributions to the advancement of epidemiology. As a first step, in 1999 the Association fostered exchange between epidemiologists and researchers in related community disciplines at the International Scientific Meeting in Florence, a practice that will be expanded at this year's Montreal meeting. To keep non-members informed, we will publish the Association's Newsletter not only on our web site, but also prominently in the Journal.

In the last triennium, our Councillors have worked hard in promoting the activities traditionally associated with the IEA, by hosting regional meetings and contributing to the thinking within the IEA. Through their own work they have expressed their belief in volunteerism. Council must now put its energies to answering the outstanding questions of implementation. In the next triennium we hope the concept will flourish throughout the Association, in tribute to the vision of the Association's founding fathers, John Pemberton and Harold Willard.6

Notes

President. On behalf of the IEA Council.

Comments to the President at c.d.v.florey{at}doctors.org.uk

References

1 www.IEAWeb.org Constitution, paragraph 2.

2 www.IEAWeb.org The Role of the Association in the 21st Century.

3 www.IEAWeb.org European Fed > Discussion Documents > Personal data.

4 www.IEAWeb.org European Fed > Discussion Documents > Good Practice.

5 Olsen J, Saracci R, Trichopoulos D (eds). Teaching Epidemiology. A Guide for Teachers of Epidemiology in Public Health and Clinical Medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.

6 www.IEAWeb.org History.





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