The ESC - a growing international profile
"Politics in the past has all too often determined the path we take with our friends and colleagues,” Fox said. “Until two years ago, the ESC had only five affiliate national societies. But I have argued that national boundaries - politics - are less important to us than our mission to fight heart disease. We're talking about doctors treating people, often under adverse conditions - and they need help all the more. So we now have a total of 22 affiliated member societies, including those from Japan, South East Asia, Australasia, Indian subcontinent, Middle East, Central and South America and South Africa – representing populations even more numerous than Europe.”
The ESC's growing international profile, he said, was clearly demonstrated by the 134 countries represented at last year's Congress, a record for all time for an ESC Congress.
An update on major initiatives
Fox also gave an update on progress of the ESC’s major initiatives. The European Heart Research Foundation, announced at last year's ESC Congress to encourage and support research throughout Europe, will be formally registered in the UK. “We have drawn up rules and a charter and can now be considered truly operational,” he said.
The Certification and Revalidation Programme, also announced last year, will be showcasing the first demonstration of its “formative learning process” here in Munich, with a module on aortic stenosis. “In the past few years the ESC has really come together and is beginning to harmonise education, training and research across Europe,” Fox said, adding that none of this could have been achieved without the commitment, communication and cooperation of the ESC Board.
European Heart Journal
The outgoing President paid further tribute to the outstanding record of the European Heart Journal – which has recently achieved an impact factor of 7.9, making it one of the most successful cardiovascular journals in Europe - the pocket guidelines, more than 2 million copies of which have been distributed, and the European Text Book of Cardiology, which has now sold more than 20,000 copies.