Endocrine Insider
October 25, 2007

On December 7, 2007, The Endocrine Society will present the second in its Hormones & Health series of science writers conferences. The purpose of these events is to raise awareness among the public and policymakers of the practice and science of endocrinology by educating medical, science, and general assignment reporters and their editors about current directions in research, the fundamentals of clinical practice, and the connections between salient national health issues and the contributions of endocrinologists.

Frontier medical discoveries and national health policy issues are among the most prominent and widely read news reports. The public’s strong interest in these topics creates a constant demand for stories on the latest breakthroughs in medical science and expert analysis of complex healthcare data. Recent examples—such as the safety of diabetes medication, funding for the National Institutes of Health, and the pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy—demonstrate just how important it is for The Endocrine Society to be recognized as an authoritative and responsive source for information to the media.

The Society creates opportunities for the media to learn about these and other leading-edge topics in endocrinology through its series of media roundtables and science writer conferences. The science writer conference program began in December 2005 with the Hormones = Health symposium in New York. At that strongly attended event, Society members presented a wealth of information on several salient medical topics. The positive reviews from attendees indicated that the conference was a valuable service for journalists.

The 2007 conference will build on that successful foundation while reaching out to a new set of reporters and journalists by holding the conference in Washington, D.C., at the historic Hay-Adams hotel, which is located near the National Press Club building. The theme for this year’s conference will be “Hormones through Life,” and will feature Society members from a wide range of disciplines who will address the intricate connections between hormones and health during specific stages of a person’s life.

Additional information, including speakers, specific topics, and schedules will be on the Society’s website: http://www.endo-society.org/writers07/.