{"id":8882,"date":"2017-10-02T11:53:15","date_gmt":"2017-10-02T10:53:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013.pdf"},"modified":"2017-10-02T11:53:15","modified_gmt":"2017-10-02T10:53:15","slug":"ga-2013-valedictory-address-wilson-oct2013-2","status":"inherit","type":"attachment","link":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/fr\/actualites-et-presse\/speeches-talks-interviews\/ga-2013-valedictory-address-wilson-oct2013-2\/","title":{"rendered":"GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013"},"author":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"acf":[],"description":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Valedictory Address – 1
\nCecil B. Wilson, MD, MACP
\nPresident, World Medical Association
\nValedictory Address
\nGeneral Assembly, Fortaleza 2013
\nOctober 18, 2013
\nFortaleza, Brazil
\nMembers of the World Medical General Assembly, colleagues, guests and our hosts the
\nBrazilian Medical Association:
\nSince my inauguration last year in Bangkok, it has been my privilege to represent the
\nWorld Medical Association (WMA) around the world.
\nI\u2019ve traveled to at a total of five continents, twelve countries and attended twenty-
\nnine meetings and conferences.
\nI\u2019ve also reported on my travels and the varied and important activities of this
\norganization on the WMA website through the President\u2019s Blog.
\nThe message I have carried may be summed up as follows:
\n1. The moral imperative of ethics in medicine
\n2. The challenge of noncommunicable disease and the social determinants of
\nhealth
\n3. The threat of climate change
\nFirst, the moral imperative of ethics in medicine
\nAs you all are aware, the WMA has been very involved in the process of bringing the
\nDeclaration of Helsinki (DOH) up to date in anticipation of its fiftieth anniversary in
\n2014.
\nThe Expert Conferences convened in Cape Town, South Africa, Tokyo, Japan and
\nWashington, DC, brought together experts in ethics, members of the medical
\nprofession, educators and governmental officials to provide input.
\nThe conferences are part of the multi-year effort by the World Medical Association to
\nexamine the DOH to determine if changes are needed.
\nIn examining the DOH for potential changes the WMA has focused on transparency and
\non obtaining a diversity of opinions from experts around the world.
\nAt this meeting, we see the culmination of many hours\u2019 work by the workgroup, and
\nespecially the facilitating group, who had the unenviable task of taking mountains of
\ncomments and distilling them into a new more understandable document.
\nValedictory Address – 2
\nIn addition, the transparency of the process that encouraged involvement by experts
\nin the field and the public is an affirmation that the end product will preserve the
\nDOH as the gold standard for ethical principles in research involving human subjects.
\nSecond, the challenge of noncommunicable disease and the social determinants of
\nhealth
\nThe social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow,
\nlive, work and age; and the societal influences on these conditions.
\nThey are major influences on both quality of life, including good health, and length of
\ndisability-free life expectancy.
\nThe primary responsibility for addressing the social determinants of health is that of
\ngovernment and society.
\nIn March I attended the Institute of Health Equity (IHE) which makes
\nrecommendations for actions and provides analysis in core areas of work for
\nphysicians:
\n1. Workforce education and training as well as individuals and communities
\n2. Government organizations and working in partnership and as advocates
\n3. Challenges and opportunities in the health system.
\nThe WMA believes in the importance of health care system strengthening, universal
\naccess and emphasizing social determinants of health as the right approach in fighting
\nNCDS.
\nAt all WHO events on this topic, the WMA will advocate for a holistic approach that
\nputs social determinants of health at the forefront of thinking about health care.
\nThird, the threat of climate change
\nClimate change due to global warming is reality of life on our planet today.
\nIt has health effects that are significant and already being felt.
\nFor example extreme heat events are more frequent, of longer duration and more
\nsevere, causing increased deaths in the tens of thousands yearly.
\nEarly research suggests that mitigation of the effects of climate change may have a
\nlink with prevention and might have significant health benefits for both individuals
\nand populations.
\nIn climate change vernacular, mitigation and adaption are the buzzwords.
\nValedictory Address – 3
\nThe WMA is committed to being involved in the mitigation of climate change \u2013 that is
\nattempting to slow or reverse climate change by decreasing greenhouse gas
\nproduction through implementation of green policies.
\nIncluding for example extremes of weather such as heat events and torrential
\ndownpours and flooding;
\nChanges in insect disease vector populations, and adverse effects on food sources
\nbrought on by droughts.
\nAs another part of ongoing efforts to support responses to climate change, the WMA
\nestablished an environmental caucus which meets regularly in conjunction with WMA
\nmeetings.
\nLast fall the caucus surveyed WMA members to assess implementation of WMA\u2019s green
\npolicies within its membership.
\nThe goal was to evaluate medical associations\u2019 involvement in those areas and get
\nuseful guidance for potential additional activities.
\nBased on the results of the environmental caucus survey, WMA members report they
\nare engaged in dealing with climate change and have a variety of suggestions about
\nhow further progress can be accomplished.
\nIn conclusion, as I stated in my inaugural address,
\nI still believe that in spite of the constancy of change and the unexpected events of
\nour lives,
\nWe as physicians can open new doors, share new insights, find new cures, prevent
\ndisease
\nWe can help our patients the world over to live healthier, happier, longer more
\nproductive lives.
\nI thank you for the great honor of contributing to these ideals as WMA President over
\nthe past year, and I look forward to more opportunities to create a brighter future of
\nmedicine.
\nCecil B. Wilson, MD<\/p>\n"},"caption":{"rendered":"

Valedictory Address – 1 Cecil B. Wilson, MD, MACP President, World Medical Association Valedictory Address General Assembly, Fortaleza 2013 October 18, 2013 Fortaleza, Brazil Members of the World Medical General Assembly, colleagues, guests and our hosts the Brazilian Medical Association: Since my inauguration last year in Bangkok, it has been my privilege to represent the […]<\/p>\n"},"alt_text":"","media_type":"file","mime_type":"application\/pdf","media_details":{"sizes":{"thumbnail":{"file":"GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf-116x150.jpg","width":116,"height":150,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf-116x150.jpg"},"medium":{"file":"GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf-232x300.jpg","width":232,"height":300,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf-232x300.jpg"},"large":{"file":"GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf-791x1024.jpg","width":791,"height":1024,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","source_url":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf-791x1024.jpg"},"full":{"file":"GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf.jpg","width":1088,"height":1408,"mime_type":"application\/pdf","source_url":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013-pdf.jpg"}}},"post":13298,"source_url":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/GA-2013-Valedictory-address-Wilson-Oct2013.pdf","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8882"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/attachment"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wma.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8882"}]}}