by Elena Moro, EAN President-Elect
Dear EAN Members, colleagues and friends,
It gives me great pleasure to write to you as the newly instated President-Elect of the European Academy of Neurology. Having been a member of the EAN Board for several years, it is an honour for me to be able to continue working as part of the outstanding team at the head of our wonderful organisation. As President-Elect, I now have the privilege of being able to look forward relatively far in terms of hopes and objectives for the EAN; with two years in this current role, followed by a two-year term as EAN President. Like the new EAN President, I am eager to help build on the ongoing successes established by the previous EAN leadership and energised by the tasks and challenges ahead. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Prof. Paul Boon, on taking on the EAN presidency following EAN 2022 – I look forward to collaborating closely over the coming years.
The EAN’s operational agenda is very carefully considered — driven of course by the President, in close consultation with the Board — but there are specific topics that I hope to keep high on the list of priorities.
Of course, EAN’s advocacy strategies will continue to be a main priority, particularly in bringing awareness to the high burden of neurological disorders and addressing them through a holistic brain health approach, as laid out in EAN’s Brain Health Strategy. We will continue to work closely with authorities such as the WHO and European Commission, as well as our partner societies to keep this high on the agenda of policymakers in the years to come.
I was also very pleased to hear Prof. Boon specifically mention EAN’s support for young neurologists and residents as something that will remain among our strongest commitments during his presidency. The EAN Residents & Research Fellows Section is a very important part of our society’s structure, and we try to provide as much support as possible for young people in our field, but there is clearly scope for neurology to do more to encourage and retain the young professionals entering our field. In this specific area, one of my objectives is to work very closely with the young generations for the Neurologist of the future. Indeed, we need to be ready to address the many new challenges that are modifying our approach to neurology with a strategy to grow and forge the neurologist of tomorrow.
I have also been very involved in the society’s approach to addressing COVID-19 issues for neurologists (which is still a relevant topic) and in the awareness of diversity in neurological diseases. I will continue my involvement in these fields.
As part of the Coordinating Group of the EANcore COVID-19 Task Force, I can assure our EAN members that this remains an integral part of the EAN’s immediate future, with various new initiatives in the pipeline. For instance, the Task Force is currently examining the possibility of compiling an EAN document on practical recommendations for long-COVID and neurological complications. Aside from these new activities, we continue to collate epidemiological data on neurological manifestations in patients with COVID-19 by way of the EAN NEuro-covid ReGistrY (ENERGY), and to highlight the most salient COVID-related research for neurologists via our COVID Paper of the Month and COVID-19 Breaking News, here on EANpages.
The work done by the EAN Task Force on Gender and Diversity Issues in Neurology has given birth to the new Coordinating Panel on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Neurology. This group had its first meeting during at EAN 2022 in June and, as a Co-Chair of the panel, I was delighted to see a great number of enthusiastic participants joining the session. Recognising and addressing issues of diversity, equity and inclusion for neurologists is becoming an increasingly important need in clinical practice and research, which also calls for providing equal opportunities for European neurologists in training. Like all EAN Coordinating Panels, the core group is composed of representatives from EAN Scientific Panels (up to two members from each), meaning each subspecialty can be represented. In addition, EAN Individual Members (FEAN/Full/Resident/Corresponding/Student Individual members) can join the panel; so I would like to encourage anyone with an interest in issues surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion and who would like to have an influence on the EAN in this regard to consider applying to join. For more information about the panel’s mission, please see the EAN Statement on Diversity in Neurology here (PDF).
Within the EAN, we are always moving forward, so I have fully confidence that there will plenty to update you on in the future with regard to all the topics mentioned above. I look forward to writing to you again when the time comes. Until then, I wish you a very pleasant summer.
Yours,
Elena Moro, EAN President-Elect
