A view from the 1989–1993 President of ILAE

Abstract

Former presidents of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) (as well as former editors of Epilepsia) have been asked to reflect on ILAE’s journal. The editors, of course, are in a far better position to do so than the presidents; the mere fact that the Editor is a member of the Executive Committee of ILAE allows the president to leave matters concerning “our journal” to him. From the perspective of the ILAE Executive Committee, the fact that Epilepsia is owned by ILAE obviously has important consequences, not in the least because income generated by the Journal has allowed ILAE to engage in a wide range of international activities. The editors-in-chief of Epilepsia, certainly from the fourth series (which started in 1960) onward have all managed to secure a high quality of content. This quality of publication is, in some sense, surprising, since like other subspecialty journals, Epilepsia faces a much greater problem in attracting high-quality papers than the more general journals with high “impact factors.” It is obvious—and certainly disappointing—that even research groups active in the field of epilepsy do not consistently publish their best papers in Epilepsia. Whether this trend can be reversed remains to be seen. Epilepsia, over the course of years, also has been a means of communication with its membership. Several presidents have availed themselves of this vehicle, but reaching the worldwide epilepsy community in this way is difficult. In most countries, a subscription to Epilepsia has not been a part of the membership fee to the national chapter (as it is for the American Epilepsy Society chapter). In the period during which I was ILAE president, I, therefore, asked the International Epilepsy News, which was sent free of charge to chapter members of the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE), to offer space to ILAE, which subsequently sent copies of this Newsletter to its membership. In a sense, this strategy was a return to the situation of the period from 1975–1985, in which the Newsletter [initiated in 1963 by IBE) was both an IBE and ILAE vehicle. Finally, ILAE decided to create a Newsletter of its own, and in 1994 the first issue of epigraph appeared. Nevertheless, my successor, Ted Reynolds, chose also to address the ILAE community via Epilepsia. The most recent development in this matter of communication has been the introduction of a section called “Gray Matters,” which first appeared in Epilepsia in the July 2006 issue. It is best to recall this event in the words used by the editors to inaugurate this section: “Gray Matters, has been conceived to implement three important functions. First, Gray Matters will record activities of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). Epilepsia, as the official journal of the ILAE is the appropriate setting for this record, particularly with regard to ILAE’s academic activities. Second, Gray Matters will provide a vehicle for publishing news and other items of importance about epilepsy, which do not easily fit into the format of the Journal’s peer-reviewed scientific papers. Finally, Gray Matters will give us an opportunity to keep you updated on information about Epilepsia itself.” It is fascinating to witness present-day developments in communication. The World Wide Web has opened possibilities that in the last century were at most in the realm of futurologist’s imagination. It remains a great challenge to find the best ways to serve the causes of the ILAE. We must take advantage of these improved facilities for communication, but preserve the high quality that has been achieved in Epilepsia, thanks to dedication of the editors and excellent support from the publishers. Vivat Epilepsia and the ILAE! I confirm that I have read the Journal’s position on issues involved in ethical publication and affirm that this report is consistent with those guidelines. Disclosure: I have no conflicts of interest to disclose.