Page 20 - ASPIRE JANUARY 2023 Volume 8 / Issue 1

PHILIPPINES
Philippine Society for
Reproductive Medicine
presents wide range of
academic endeavours
By Dr Romerico Torres Country Representative
It has been a banner year for the Philippine Society for Reproductive Medicine (PSRM) in terms of filling knowledge gaps among its members and the general public.
The weekly Online Thursdays program has created a positive webinar following addressing topical subjects with highly respected speakers and stimulating discussions. In 2022 alone, we delivered 21 programs with an average online participation of 250 delegates, peaking at times to around 500.
Our three-part IVF series addressed subjects including the introduction of follitropin delta with actual case discussions. We explored recurrent implantation failure with a lecture by Professor Nick Maclon and a live question and answer session. Soon after, I presented an RIF case discussed with Dr Nasser Al-Asmar Pinar from IVI-Igenomix and Dr Marivic Tan.
We also had a face-to-face IVF workshop initially with didactics following by hands-on experiences using simulators for OPU and embryo transfer. This was led by the husband and wife team of Drs Attul and Shwatti Dongre from India.
Around 40 PSRM members participated in the workshop held at the Marco Polo Hotel in Ortigas.
In May 2022, the PSRM Virtual Mid-Year Convention addressed the theme of Management of Uterine Adenomyosis: From Basics to Cutting Edge attracting more than 700 participants each day. Speakers included Professors Malcolm Munro, Chi Yeng Fen, Tobias de Villiers and Dr Peter Plateau.
The PSRM Annual Virtual Convention was held in September discussing Present and Future Horizons in Reproductive Medicine. It featured 12 plenary lectures, 16 simultaneous sessions, six international speakers – including Professors Nikolaos Polyzos, Michel De Vos, Tommasso Simoncini, Judith Simms and Drs Laury Henry and Regidor Pedro-Antonio – and 24 local presenters. More than 1,000 eager participants were involved in the convention.
The POGS PSRM Pre-Congress Webinar on October 15, 2022 addressed the question Adjunctive Therapies for Infertility Management: What’s Real? This proved to be a blockbuster with almost 2,000 registrants.
One of the initiated projects for fellows in training is entitled Stump the Professors with presentations on challenging cases. This included the St Lukes REI Training Program with questions on HIV in an infertility/ IVF patient.
This was followed by PGH on mullerian anomalies in a patient with recurrent pregnancy loss. In November we had presentations from CARMI on research on follicular flushing, and finally the FEU-JRMMC Consortium on Disorders on Sexual Development.
Apart from the academic benefits of this activity, the goal to create collegiality among fellows in training and strengthen camaraderie among training institutions.
We also concluded a consensus project among PSRM members on the issue of ART guidelines through the Delphi Method. This was preceded by opinions from experts in law, theology, religion and ethics and divergent views from sexual minority groups. We expect to publish outcomes this year.
The PSRM has also reached out to our patients and the general public addressing subjects including endometriosis, infertility, PCOS and contraception.
These activities are all fully supported and powered by the PSRM membership and its secretariat.
PSRM Board Members 2023 (from left) Allen Tan, Debby Songco (Vice President), Romerico Torres (President), Ma Isidora Yap- Garcia (PRO), Margaret Joy Cristi-Limson (Secretary) and Gia Pastorfide (Treasurer). Not in photo: Maria Victoria Tan (Auditor)
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