More Than 1,000 Epidemiologists Converge On Anchorage for Triennial
Meeting Of The International Epidemiological Association
The scenery did not
disappoint, nor did the summer weather. More than 1,000
epidemiologists from more than 30 different countries made their way
to cool, sunny, and beautiful Anchorage Alaska in mid-August to
participate in the 20th triennial meeting of the
International Epidemiological Association. The meeting was bookended
by an opening Cruickshank Lecture on climate change by Australia’s
Tony (AJ) McMichael and a closing Richard Doll lecture on
halving premature mortality given by Oxford University’s Richard
Peto. Indigenous dancers also helped to entertain participants
and kick off the meeting on the theme of Global Epidemiology in a
Changing Environment: The Circumpolar Perspective”.
Other Highlights
Other highlights
included sessions on climate change and circumpolar health and
epidemiology, autism and other neurodevelopmental diseases, progress
in polio eradication, and innovations in epidemiologic methods.
Several topics of ongoing interest to epidemiologists were also
explored including presentations on the creation of a world council
of epidemiology, data sharing successes and challenges, and the new
dictionary of epidemiology.
A special session
was organized on conflicts of interest triggered but not focused on
the revelations about the activities of the late Patricia Buffler
whose untimely death forced the IEA to identify a new President
to take office in Anchorage. The newly selected president is Oxford
University’s Valerie Beral.
Testimonial for Pat
Buffler
A very personal
testimonial to Pat Buffler was offered at the opening of the IEA
business meeting by Kirk Smith, a University of California
colleague of Buffler’s.
Smith described Pat
Buffler as one of the principal cancer epidemiologists in the world
and an inspiration to all who knew her. According to Smith, she was
generous, gracious with a flair, warm, patient, kind, and happy. She
found joy in the success of others, said Smith. He noted that one
of Buffler’s favorite slogans is the one often included with
cartoons depicting sled dogs which reads“If you’re not the leader,
the view never changes!” Buffler took this advice seriously since
she was eulogized as “the most elected epidemiology leader in
history”. The IEA presented a lifetime achievement award to
Buffler’s family in her memory.
Ebola Virus Outbreak
The meeting took
place against the backdrop of the ongoing Ebola virus outbreak in
West Africa and several African epidemiologists were on hand to
offer accounts, some of them first-hand, of the challenges being
faced in battling the outbreak in the affected countries.
Immediately following the meeting, the IEA Council strongly endorsed
the joint
statement of
the World Federation of Public Health Associations and African
Federation Public Health Association on the severity and urgency of
the Ebola Epidemic in several West African Countries. This statement
expresses solidarity with the affected populations, salutes the
dedication and efforts of the health workers involved, a readiness
and willingness “to lend whatever assistance is needed and
appropriate to national and global health authorities.”
Statements by New President Beral
In remarks made to the membership at the business
meeting, Beral told the attendees that she agreed to stand in for
Pat Buffler to honor her memory. She noted that she was only the
second woman to hold the office of the President of the IEA out of
the 20 or so that have held that office over the years.
According to Beral, the IEA was founded to promote the use of
epidemiology and its application to the solution of health problems.
She said this purpose is still valid today. She gave a preview of
the Doll Lecture by Richard Peto as her example of the value
of epidemiology. Peto has an article scheduled to appear in the
September 19 issue of The Lancet on halving premature mortality
which he has discussed for many years now. According to Beral, the
probability of death for persons under age 50 has been cut in half
in some large populations between 1970 and 2010. She said that
research has contributed to these declines, and that
“epidemiologists have a lot to do with this”. ■
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