Message from the President

Dear Friends,

The Journal of Clinical Densitometry (JCD)® has changed! JCD Editor-in-Chief, Paul D. Miller, working with Managing Editor, Linda Miller and the Publications Committee chaired by Diane Schneider, have worked for the past 10 months with our publisher, Elsevier, to bring about a most important transformation in our journal. With approval by the ISCD Board of Directors, JCD has a new focus, title, color and design reflecting our society’s efforts to include all technologies that evaluate skeletal strength and fracture risk. Additionally, new sections will be added to review important subjects and “hot topics” for the clinician and technologist.

The first issue of the 2008 Journal of Clinical Densitometry – Assessment of Skeletal Health is devoted exclusively to the 2007 ISCD Official Positions of the fourth Adult and first Pediatric ISCD Position Development Conferences (PDC). ISCD is sincerely grateful to the nearly 200 individuals that contributed to both PDCs as members of Steering Committees, Task Forces, Expert Panels, moderators and support staff over the past two and one-half years. I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank the following individuals for their contribution to the success of the 2007 PDCs: Maria-Luisa Bianchi, John P. Bilezikian, Neil Binkley, Nicholas Bishop, Klaus Engelke, Catherine Gordon, Didier B. Hans, Heidi J. Kalkwarf, David Kendler, Marc-Antoine Krieg, Craig Langman, Mary B. Leonard, E. Michael Lewiecki, Horacio Plotkin, Frank Rauch, David M. Reid, Martin Rotblatt, John Schousboe, Elliott N. Schwartz, Stuart Silverman, Christine Simonelli and Babette Zemel. You are the best! Building on our past successes, Didier Hans, ISCD Vice-President, is already in the process of planning the 2009 PDC.

Incorporating recent changes in the field and the new Official Positions, the ISCD Bone Densitometry and VFA courses are being updated. Ed Lieb, Steve Petak, Bobo Tanner, Sue Broy and Neil Binkley have done an incredible amount of work to update the ISCD Bone Densitometry and VFA Courses to reflect the latest 2007 Official Positions, WHO FRAX™ 10-year absolute fracture risk model and National Osteoporosis Foundation evaluation and treatment guidelines. The Technologist BDC is undergoing a similar update under the leadership of Rogene Tesar; ISCD greatly appreciates your efforts. In addition to these updates, Steve Petak, Chair of the Clinician Bone Densitometry Course, has recently asked Mary Oates to chair the new DXA Total Body Composition Subcommittee that will develop an entirely new teaching module for the BDC course which will hopefully be available at the 2009 Annual Meeting.

Two of our Pediatric Position Development Conference Task Force Chairs, Catherine Gordon and Babette Zemel have joined forces as Co-Chairs of the recently formed Pediatric Scientific Advisory Committee (PediSAC). Catherine and Babette are in the process of enlisting the assistance of an additional 15-20 internationally acclaimed pediatric boneheads to answer questions regarding the Pediatric Official Positions (PediOP), develop an ISCD Pediatric section on the ISCD Web site that will provide members with vital pediatric normative database links, explanation of the PediOP,
additional pediatric questions and answers and much more. Also, I have asked Ed Lieb, Chair of the Educational Council and Steve Petak to work with PediSAC to develop a Pediatric Bone Densitometry Course to be given at ISCD Annual Meetings and when feasible at other major metabolic bone society meetings worldwide.

Preparations for the 2009 ISCD Annual Meeting are well underway. Program Co-Chairs, Chris Shuhart, Didier Hans and Bennié Leverich in conjunction with Ron Hamdy and Diane Krueger, Chair and Vice-Chair of the Annual Meeting Committee, have been working tirelessly to ensure we have an excellent 2009 Annual Meeting.

Our Public Policy Committee (PPC) led by Andy Laster and Neil Binkley has developed an incredibly well-organized network of members and staff that are working around the clock in an attempt to reverse the results of the devastating cuts in DXA reimbursement that is adversely impacting patient access to bone densitometry. In addition, the PPC is working at the state, local, and private insurer levels to protect the rights of our patients, technologists, and clinicians. The U.S. Congress is presently working on a financial fix for Medicare reimbursement to physicians that
may include language relevant to DXA. It is critical that all U.S. members contact their representatives in the House of Representatives and Senate via the ISCD Advocacy Web site to enlist their support.

Lastly, ISCD volunteerism is one of the most gratifying ways an individual can meet colleagues worldwide and develop lifelong friendships that have the potential to greatly enhance our professional and personal lives. I would encourage all members not involved with ISCD to become active in our most unique family. Feel free to notify Jean Fazzino at jfazzino@iscd.org to join us in our endeavors.

Sanford Baim, MD, CCD

ISCD President