By Society Staff
As another year draws to a close, we at the Society are looking back with pride on the many activities that benefited you, our members. The past 12 months have been particularly busy on a wide range of fronts.
Let us recall some highlights:
More Educational Meetings: A Chance to Enhance Skills
Education is a bedrock foundation of the Society, and our 2024 programming was particularly successful.
ENDO 2024, held June 1-4 in Boston, MA, was one of our largest meetings ever, attracting more than 7,500 endocrine professionals from all over the world. Our other mainstay meetings, including Endocrine Board Review (EBR) and Clinical Endocrinology Update (CEU), along with the many educational events organized by our Special Interest Groups (SIGs), provided valuable knowledge and insights for thousands more over the past year.
But we didn’t stop there. In 2024, we added several new meetings.
We held our 1st International Conference on Steroid Hormones and Receptors (SHR 2024), in October in Albuquerque, NM. The sold-out event explored state-of-the-art advances in steroid hormone and receptor functions, both rapid and genomic. Attendees looked at these functions in various aspects of biology and medicine, in terms of normal physiology and pathophysiology.
We also broke new programmatic ground with our inaugural Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare Virtual Summit, held in November. This online event explored AI’s potential to revolutionize patient care and shape the future of medicine.
Advocacy: Making a Difference
Advocacy provides another central component of the Society’s work. Our advocacy efforts over the past year made a difference on several important initiatives.
Key wins in the United States included the March 2024 extension of the Special Diabetes Program. The Society has been a leading advocate for this program, which was created in 1997 to advance research in type 1 diabetes and to address the disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes on American Indians and Alaskan natives.
The Society also was invited to a White House event in August commemorating passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. That law included a landmark provision requiring all Medicare Part D plans to charge no more than $35 per month for all covered insulin products. The Society has long been a leading advocate for affordable insulin.
On the international front, the Society played a key role in a February 2024 session of the United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA-6). Our joint report on endocrine disrupting-chemicals (EDCs), co-produced with the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN), a leading global organization working to protect human health from toxic substances, was featured prominently in the UNEA-6 conversation. The report warns that current global regulatory approaches fail to account for the latest science on hormones and EDCs.
Creating Pathways for Endocrinology
We want to ensure that endocrinology remains a healthy and attractive field of practice well into the future.
On this front, we took a major step forward in April with the creation of a program that aims to reverse the declining numbers of US medical students choosing to become endocrinologists. The Medical School Engagement Program (MSEP) is designed to help schools of medicine encourage interest among their students in pursuing endocrinology. We welcomed 10 schools into the program that provides endocrinology-focused initiatives and leadership programs.
Leading on the Cutting Edge of Practice
Yet another foundation of the Society is our role in providing guidance on quality clinical care. This past year was no exception.
The Society and the European Society of Endocrinology published a joint Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) in May that will help clinicians manage patients who have, or are at risk of developing, glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency. This guideline will help the treatment of tens of millions of patients worldwide.
In addition, the Society in June updated its CPG on vitamin D. Already the guideline has been viewed more than 170,000 times in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism’s online edition.
Setting the Record Straight
Another important role the Society plays is in educating the press and lay audiences about the practice and conditions of endocrinology.
In January, the Society hosted a virtual science writers conference on “hormone balancing,” a concept that has become a popular trend on TikTok and other social media platforms. Our experts again provided clarity on the topic, and helped attendees understand the truth behind endocrine science.
Similarly, in November, we held a virtual science writers conference on the importance of prescribing FDA-approved medications to treat obesity. Our experts discussed the implications of surging demand for new anti-obesity medications, and cautioned about the use of compounded versions of these therapies.
Both meetings attracted top-tier journalists and other influential voices in the media.
Our trusted expertise also can be seen in the many times the Society has been quoted in top publications over the past year, including the Washington Post, CNN, and NBC.
Creating More Value for Members
At the Society, we’re always looking for ways to better serve our members. In 2024, we added a new Special Interest Group focused on obesity, bringing the total number of SIGs up to nine. , bringing the total number of SIGs up to nine.
The Society also took steps in 2024 to strengthen the organization itself.
In July, we announced a merger with the Association of Program Directors in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (APDEM), a group with which we have partnered for more than 25 years. APDEM represents academic leaders of more than 135 training programs that prepare fellows for clinical and research careers in endocrinology and metabolism.
Looking Ahead
We’re taking pride in our accomplishments. But we never rest on our laurels. Already we’re gearing up for an exciting and even more active 2025. We hope everyone takes a moment to rest and rejuvenate as 2024 winds down. And we’ll do it all over again in 2025!
