Meanwhile, ILAR’s journal, Clinical Rheumatology, led by its dedicated editor, Paul Davis, MD, has continued to publish and has evolved a unique role as a voice for rheumatology research in the developing world. ILAR’s renewal agreement with the publisher of Clinical Rheumatology will make this journal an important source of revenue for the new ILAR.
Worldview on Collaboration
Other than re-establishing an interaction with the World Health Organization, the purpose of the new ILAR can be boiled down to two words: global health. Global health is not a concept that is confined to infectious disease. Although the burden of rheumatic disease has not been fully measured in developing countries, it is undoubtedly massive.
As we bemoan our rheumatology workforce shortage in the United States, consider the words of Omondi Oyoo, MD, MMed, of Nairobi, Kenya. A leader of AFLAR and a member of the ILAR Executive Committee, Dr. Oyoo spoke at an ILAR Executive Committee meeting this June, addressing the question: What are the needs that ILAR should address? “At present,” said Dr. Oyoo, “I am taking care of patients from three countries: Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. It would be wonderful to have at least one rheumatologist in each country in Africa.” That comment certainly got the attention of everyone in the room, and defines an appropriate challenge for ILAR. The international dermatology community has established a very successful dermatology training center in Tanzania that provides a model for one approach to begin to address the workforce and public health needs of rheumatology in sub-Saharan Africa. Whatever approaches are taken in Africa or the poorer countries of Latin America and Asia, we’ll need the help and guidance of the local and regional professional leadership to set ILAR’s course of action. Meanwhile, funding for pilot projects for ILAR will be allocated before the end of 2008.
How will all of this be supported? ILAR’s small nest egg and royalties from Clinical Rheumatology will get us started. The ACR and EULAR will continue to provide free educational materials and registration at the ACR and EULAR meetings for trainees from developing countries, and will continue to sponsor educational sessions at the PANLAR and AFLAR meetings. The ACR will provide administrative and legal services to ILAR at no charge, and will partner with ILAR in some pilot projects. Clearly, however, the scope of what needs to be accomplished will require significant future funding from other sources, such as foundations dedicated to the cause of global health.