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In this issue:
  • Elections open Monday, October 17
  • 2015 Annual Meeting
    • Reminder about workshop deadlines
    • Meet the experts call for proposals
  • Research grant opportunity
  • IUGA official newsletter: Latest version available for download
  • Annual Meeting Highlights webinar available for viewing online
  • Survey: Techniques for midurethral sling placement
  • Patient education items for sale

If you don’t recall your IUGA web site log-in details, or are having difficulty accessing the members-only section of the website, please contact Amy Cassini, the Membership Manager, at amy@iuga.org


Elections for vice president, International Advisory Board members and committee members open this Monday, October 17
This Monday, October 17, all IUGA members will receive an e-mail with instructions regarding how to participate in this year’s elections.  All members will have the opportunity to vote for the vice president and Nominations Committee and Scientific Committee members.  Members in Europe and North America will also be voting for their representatives on the International Advisory Board.  Please take a moment to cast your ballot and help select IUGA’s leadership!




Call for 2015 Workshop Proposals Now Open

The workshop proposal submission system for the 2015 Annual Meeting is now open. Please read the guidelines carefully.  All faculty should be confirmed before being included.  Proposals must detail any special requirements such as technology, room setup, or anatomical specimens for practical demonstrations.   The deadline to submit proposals is Monday, November 10, 2014 by 11:59pm EDT.  There will not be a deadline extension.  For any questions, contact Amanda Grabloski at amanda@iuga.org.

Please click the link below to begin your submission or for more information:

http://www.iugameeting.org/scientific-program/workshops/

Meet the experts call for proposals
The ever popular “Meet the Experts” is back! We are asking all interested facilitators to complete and submit a short application along with their CV by December 1st to ensure transparency and fairness in the selection process.  The breakfast will be held on Friday, June 12th with a maximum of 20 tables.  To download the application form, please click here. For any questions, please email office@iuga.org.

Visit www.iugameeting.org for more information about the 2015 annual meeting.


Research Grant Opportunity:
IUGA, with the generous support of Uroplasty, is soliciting applications for research grant proposals within the clinical space of overactive bladder or fecal incontinence.  The amount of the grant will be $15,000.  Examples of topics that could be addressed include:

  1. Efficacy and cost effectiveness of electrical neuromodulation vs. drugs for OAB treatment
  2. Patient perceptions of risk-benefit and clinical significance of outcomes of OAB or fecal incontinence therapies
  3. Enhancement and standardization of patient reported outcomes for voiding dysfunction therapies and interventions
  4. Efficacy and cost effectiveness of electrical neuromodulation therapies for the treatment of chronic pelvic pain syndromes
  5. Standardization and optimization of therapeutic pathways for fecal incontinence
  6. Comparative effectiveness of second or third line treatments for OAB

Submissions for this grant competition will be reviewed and awarded by the IUGA Research and Development Committee using their regular review processes, which involve peer-review.   The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, December 17, 2014. It will be awarded to one IUGA member who properly completes and submits the required application prior to the stated deadline.  Only complete applications that include all required material will be forwarded for review.  The notification of award will be announced at the end of February 2015. 

Click here to submit your grant application.

IUGA official newsletter: October 2014 issue available for download
The October 2014 issue of the IUGA newsletter is now available on the web site for download. The issue features a summary and photo gallery from the AUGS/IUGA Scientific Meeting, a diary from the Middle East, an update on the Foundation for International Urogynecological Assistance and more. To view the newsletter, click here and select either the PDF version or digital reader version.


Recording now available from “Highlights of the Annual Meeting” webinar
On Thursday, September 25, IUGA offered a webinar showcasing the highlights from the 2014 annual meeting.  This session was recorded and is available to members via the IUGA website.  Moderated by Dudley Robinson, the session featured Best Abstract Award winner Emmanuel Trabuco,  John DeLancey presenting his Raymond A. Lee Lecture, ‘Imagine’, along with three other abstract presenters. To view the recording of this webinar, please visit http://www.iuga.org/?page=webinar. Please note, you will be prompted to log-in if you are not already.


Survey: Techniques for midurethral sling placement
Dr. Javier Pizarro-Berdichevksy, a fellow at the Cleveland Clinic, with his colleagues, is conducting a research study about techniques used during midurethral sling placement. This study will survey the IUGA membership as to their preference in tensioning methods, their attitudes regarding the importance of tensioning, its direct impact on their practice, and the frequency with which they must address their own or another surgeon’s sling complication. Such a study will be valuable in capturing the broader relevance of this controversial topic in urogynecology and female urology. It is our hope that the data will further serve to help the community improve sling procedures, as they are a vital aspect of current clinical care. 

This survey is being conducted electronically and has been reviewed and approved by the IUGA Research and Development Committee. Please take a moment to complete the short survey by November 3, 2014 by clicking the link below.

https://contactmonkey.com/api/v1/tracker?cm_session=24e55280-a6f2-4fee-8aab-7ee150b9ba4a&cm_type=link&cm_link=c925f152-9aec-45d0-82c6-c53a9895060f&cm_destination=https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/slingsurvey

Your participation in this survey is greatly appreciated.


Items available for patient education
IUGA has an array of items available for patient education, both for free and for purchase. The “patient information” page on the IUGA web site has 25 patient leaflets in 13 languages on topics such as pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence available for free download, along with a directory to help patients find a urogynecologist locally and a continence and pelvic organ prolapse resource directory. IUGA also has an online store to purchase the patient leaflets in attractive brochure format, educational wall charts,illustration pads, POPstix and its most popular item, the Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Anatomical & Surgical Chart. Members receive 50% off of online store prices. Make sure you take advantage of these educational tools available for your patients!


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To renew your IUGA membership, please click here or visit www.iuga.org/?membership to sign-up. Keep your address and contact information up-to-date! Visit www.iuga.org, log-in with your username and password, select ‘Manager Profile’ then ‘Edit Bio’ from ‘Information & Settings’.