World Neurology: July-September issue now available online

This issue begins with a timely update on monkeypox and its potential neurologic manifestations by Dr. Chandrashekhar Meshram. In this issue's President's Column, WFN President Dr. Wolfgang Grisold updates us on the planning for the upcoming Council of Delegates (COD) meeting in Amsterdam and many of the WFN's current and evolving global activities. Dr. Grisold and Dr. Steven Lewis then discuss the important issues related to education, congresses, CME, and disclosure and mitigation of conf licts of interest related to industry support.

This issue includes well-illustrated and highly descriptive articles highlighting many of the outstanding activities that occurred around the world related to the recent World Brain Day, including reports from India (by Dr. Meshram, Dr. Nirmal Surya, and Dr. U. Meenakshisundaram), Latin America (by Dr. Jessi Arita and Dr. Marco T. Medina), and Malaysia (by Dr. Shanthi Viswanathan).

Andrea Weiss, MA, and Dr. Lewis then provide an update on the WFN-AAN Program that provides the AAN's CME publication Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology to low- and lower-middle-income countries.

Finally, this issue features the statements from the three candidates for WFN Secretary General and the four candidates for WFN Elected Trustee. We thank all readers for their interest in World Neurology and invite ideas for contributions to be sent to us at the email addresses listed in the issue. We look forward to seeing the WFN delegates at the upcoming Council of Delegates meeting in Amsterdam. Also, mark your calendar for the World Congress of Neurology in October 2023! •

By Steven L. Lewis, MD, Editor, and Walter Struhal, MD, Co-Editor

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Highlights

President's Column

• This issue of World Neurology contains the statements of the candidates for the new Secretary General and one Elected Trustee. They are all well prepared and focus on different angles to these important positions. Most importantly, all of the applicants radiate energy and enthusiasm, which is the important content of fuel of neurology and the WFN. I want to thank them all for standing up and "running." I know from experience that this engagement needs much energy and efforts. Only two of the seven candidates will be successful, but despite the results, we will need you all in the future.

• WFN Elections: Candidate Statements For WFN Secretary General
  • Marianne De Visser
  • Steven Lewis
  • Tissa Wijeratne
    
• WFN Elections: Candidate Statements For WFN Trustee
  • Chandrashekhar Meshram
  • Bo Norrving
  • Minerva López Ruiz
  • Mohammad Wasay

The WFN Committees and Specialty Groups

• Update on the AAN/WFN Continuum Education Program
  By Steven L. Lewis, MD, and Andrea J. Weiss, MA

  As this year marks my (SL's) 10th year as editor-in-chief of Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology, we've written this article to provide a brief update on the AAN/WFN Continuum Education Program for low- and lowermiddle- income countries, a program that we are privileged to administer.

From WFN

• Monkeypox and Neurology
  By Chandrashekhar Meshram

  The World Health Organization recently declared monkeypox a global public health emergency of international concern. Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis caused by a double-stranded DNA virus in the Orthopoxvirus genus, transmitted to humans from animals—with symptoms similar to smallpox although clinically less severe. Details about the disease are available on WHO's website.

• Education, Congresses, and CME: Sponsoring and Influence of Industry
  By Wolfgang Grisold and Steven L. Lewis

  The WFN's policies regarding industry sponsorship, continuing medical education (CME), and conflicts of interest (COI) are provided here. In many countries and regions, the separation of scientific content and industry events is strictly carried out. Examples include the United States via the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), and in Europe via the European Union of Medical Specialists (UEMS) and its European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (EACCME), and these policies of separation of CME and Continuing Professional Development accreditation of Congresses and Meetings from industry events is strictly defined and monitored.

World Brain Day

• World Brain Day in India
  By Chandrashekhar Meshram, Nirmal Surya and U. Meenakshisundaram

  World Brain Day 2022 was celebrated with great fanfare and enthusiasm in India, and the campaign was extended over a week. This year's theme "Brain Health for All" was appropriate, and it generated a lot of interest. Although the Dynamic President of the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN) Nirmal Surya had given an ambitious target of 100 activities during the week, we ended up doing many more events across the country. The activities were focused on increasing awareness of common people and students about brain health and neurological diseases.

• Latin America Joined the World Brain Day 2022
  By Jessi Arita and Marco T. Medina, FAAN, FEAN

  Latin America joined the World Federation of Neurology (WFN) and the Pan-American Federation of Neurological Societies (PAFNS) on the celebration of the World Brain Day 2022, which took place every July 22, with the purpose of sharing information and optimizing brain health, creating awareness on the prevalence of brain disorders, and reducing the global burden of neurological disorders.

• World Brain Day 2022 in Malaysia
  By Shanthi Viswanathan

  On the July 22, 2022, the Neurology Department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Malaysia, celebrated "World Brain Day" in conjunction with the World Federation of Neurology's theme of " Brain Health for All." The theme for this year's celebration is very meaningful, inclusive, and diverse. The neurology department at Kuala Lumpur Hospital is part of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Institute of Neurosciences. It is a major national tertiary referral center for neurological conditions.