CHEVY CHASE, Md., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to recent findings from the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Robert Jaffe, former president and current Chair of the Women’s Health Task Force for The Hormone Foundation, the public education affiliate of The Endocrine Society, made the following statement:
“The recent findings of studies in the Women’s Health Initiative - including the link between hormone therapy and heart health - merit individual attention and consultation with personal physicians and endocrinologists. In addition, the findings emphasize:
-- The need for women to continue discussing with their physicians the importance of lifestyle issues for optimizing postmenopausal health (e.g., good nutrition, exercise, weight loss when needed, no tobacco, drinking in moderation). -- The need for additional research of hormonal treatment, specifically on the complex biochemical mechanisms of estrogen and progesterone action, (whether the results were specific to the estrogen and progestin studied and the effects of hormone treatment on menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes and vaginal dryness). -- That there is ongoing debate around the world about hormone therapy (HT) - also known as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - since the results of the benchmark WHI trial, which was prematurely halted in 2002.”
Today at 11:00 am EST, The Endocrine Society will host a conference call to explore the debate and further the discussion related to hormone therapy and other issues raised by the Women’s Health Initiative.
Agenda for the call and dial-in information are as follows: Teleconference Agenda 11:00 a.m. Robert Jaffe, M.D. - Moderator Introduction 11:05 a.m. Lawrence Phillips, M.D., Principal Investigator, WHI, Professor of Medicine, Emory University Overview of current research from Women’s Health Initiative Highlight importance of Observational Studies vs. Randomized Clinical Trials 11:15 a.m. Elizabeth Barrett-Connor, M.D., Professor, Family & Preventive Medicine; Cancer Prevention & Control Program; University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center. Understanding the current data Questions regarding safety and efficacy 11:25 a.m. Rebuttal (Dr. Phillips and then Dr. Barrett-Connor) 11:30 a.m. Question & Answer 11:55 a.m. Closing Dial-In Instructions: CALL-IN #: 1-866-309-0490 MEETING NUMBER: *4169773* (please note that you have to enter the star button both before and after the number)
Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones, and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society’s membership consists of over 12,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit our web site at http://www.endo-society.org.
The Endocrine Society
CONTACT: Tadu Yimam of The Endocrine Society, +1-301-941-0251,tyimam@endo-society.org
Web site: http://www.endo-society.org/
