Advocacy Taskforce Research Articles

Beyond the study of pain: the evolving role of the International Association for the Study of Pain in global advocacy.

Although founded on the basis of the study of pain, the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has actively advocated for improving pain relief and access to pain management in a variety of ways. The Global Year was launched in 2004 and has continued with a different theme each year, and "Pain Awareness Month" is held every September. The Declaration of Montreal (2010) emphasized that access to pain management is a fundamental human right as a result from the IASP-hosted International Pain Summit. The IASP has continued to publish timely statements related to pain and pain management. The work of IASP on the 11th version of the International Classification of Disease has ensured that chronic pain is recognized as a disease in its own right, and the establishment of the Global Alliance of Partners for Pain Advocacy Task Force recognizes the importance of engaging people with lived experience of pain in accomplishing IASP's mission. The Working Group on Global Advocacy now spearheads IASP's global efforts in capacity building to ensure that pain advocacy activities will continue to grow.

484 - Bringing Patient and Caregivers Voices to the Clinical Trial Chorus: A Report from the BMT CTN Patient and Caregiver Advocacy Task Force

484 - Bringing Patient and Caregivers Voices to the Clinical Trial Chorus: A Report from the BMT CTN Patient and Caregiver Advocacy Task Force

Bringing Patient and Caregivers Voices to the Clinical Trial Chorus: A Report From the BMT CTN Patient and Caregiver Advocacy Task Force

The Blood and Marrow Transplant Clinical Trials Network (BMT CTN), funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute for more than 2 decades, is focused on improving the outcomes of hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and other cellular therapies. It answered critical questions about conditioning intensity, donor choice, graft-versus-host disease prevention and treatment, and relapse mitigation strategies in a manner made possible by an extensive network of centers that have enrolled more than 16,000 patients to more than 55 trials. Although the BMT CTN has engaged patients in a variety of ways since its establishment, there is a growing realization that increasing that engagement and including caregivers offers many additional benefits to patients and investigators alike. Bringing the voice of patients and caregivers to clinical trial design is likely to enhance trial participation and reduce barriers to recruitment/retention. Unless clinical trials are designed with unique considerations of patients who have socioeconomic and access challenges, these populations will remain under-represented in HCT trials with limited generalizability of results. The next main frontier in our field is patient and caregiver access to high-quality HCT facilities coupled with the opportunity to participate in relevant, meaningful clinical research. In 2021, the BMT CTN Executive Committee convened a Patient and Caregiver Advocacy Task Force with a diverse membership representing a variety of stakeholders. The charge to the Task Force was to provide achievable recommendations for incorporating patient input at all steps of clinical trial development from initial concept to dissemination of results. Four focus areas were identified: (1) patient and caregiver input in research portfolio; (2) patient engagement in informed consent, protocol development and trial conduct; (3) communication to patients about trial progress, primary outcomes and secondary analyses; and (4) increased awareness among patients who may be considering BMT or cell therapy about BMT CTN trials. Three specific initiatives were considered as high priority by the Task Force: Fostering patient and caregiver engagement in development of the research portfolio and protocols; Developing communication plans for ongoing studies; and Simplifying the process for informed consent to make it more patient friendly. The BMT CTN has established a patient and caregiver advocacy committee that is tasked with developing concrete steps to incorporate recommendations of the BMT CTN Task Force in its current and future work. The BMT CTN recognizes patient and caregivers are valuable partners whose voice will enhance the conduct of impactful trials in BMT and cell therapy.

Epilepsy research in Africa: A scoping review by the ILAE Pediatric Commission Research Advocacy Task Force.

Despite the high prevalence of epilepsy in Africa, evaluation of epilepsy research trends on the continent is lacking. Without establishing effective research, improvement in care for people with epilepsy cannot be effectively strategized or targeted. A scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature on epilepsy from Africa (1989-2019) was conducted. The aim was to understand from this what areas are well researched versus underresearched based on published epilepsy topics. A total of 1227 publications were identified and assessed. A significant increase in publications occurred over the 30 years assessed. African author leadership was evident in most reports. Nine countries had >50 publications identified; the remaining 45 countries had <50 or no publications. Research studies were typically of lower quality (case series and observational studies). Research themes were more focused on clinical epilepsy (descriptive observational studies) and social aspects (qualitative surveys). However, there were a number of unique and strong themes, specifically for neurocysticercosis and nodding syndrome, where strong research collaborations were evident, basic science understandings were explored, and interventional models were established. Despite Africa being the continent with the most countries, it is lacking in the quantity, quality, and for some areas, relevance of research on epilepsy. Targeted approaches are needed to upskill the strength of research undertaken with more basic science, interventional, and randomized controlled studies. Themes of research need to promote those with unique African content but also to align with current international research areas that have impact on care delivery, such as epilepsy surgery and epilepsy genetics. For this to be possible, it is important to strengthen research hubs with collaborations that empower Africa to own its epilepsy research journey.

Top Policy Issues: A Powerful, Passionate Journey

Top Policy Issues: A Powerful, Passionate Journey

Novel approaches to identify and characterize young key population networks in southern Africa.

Novel approaches to identify and characterize young key population networks in southern Africa.

Workshop report. Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders: gaps and opportunities.

This White Paper presents the results from a workshop cosponsored by the Sleep Research Society (SRS) and the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms (SRBR) whose goals were to bring together sleep clinicians and sleep and circadian rhythm researchers to identify existing gaps in diagnosis and treatment and areas of high-priority research in circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorders (CRSWD). CRSWD are a distinct class of sleep disorders caused by alterations of the circadian time-keeping system, its entrainment mechanisms, or a misalignment of the endogenous circadian rhythm and the external environment. In these disorders, the timing of the primary sleep episode is either earlier or later than desired, irregular from day-to-day, and/or sleep occurs at the wrong circadian time. While there are incomplete and insufficient prevalence data, CRSWD likely affect at least 800,000 and perhaps as many as 3 million individuals in the United States, and if Shift Work Disorder and Jet Lag are included, then many millions more are impacted. The SRS Advocacy Taskforce has identified CRSWD as a class of sleep disorders for which additional high-quality research could have a significant impact to improve patient care. Participants were selected for their expertise and were assigned to one of three working groups: Phase Disorders, Entrainment Disorders, and Other. Each working group presented a summary of the current state of the science for their specific CRSWD area, followed by discussion from all participants. The outcome of those presentations and discussions are presented here.

Intermittent Reflections: 2020 Report from the Committee: Projection and Technical Presentation Committee

Intermittent Reflections2020 Report from the Committee Genevieve Havemeyer-King, co-chairs and Rebecca Hall, co-chairs PROJECTION AND TECHNICAL PRESENTATION COMMITTEE This past year, collaboration and knowledge sharing have been the major focal points of the Projection and Technical Presentation Committee. The committee gained eight new members between 2018 and 2019, which shows that there is a growing interest in our work and in preservation and access issues related to media exhibition. As we look back on the committee's activities for the year, these issues seem only more complex considering the impact of COVID-19 on theaters, galleries, and other exhibition venues (not to mention audiences). BOOTH TALK One product of this focus has been the creation of "Booth Talk," a new discussion group for cinema and festival projectionists, technical directors, and adjacent professionals. Inspired by the now mostly defunct (but still invaluable and constantly referenced) Film-Tech Forum,1 the group provides a space for users to post practical questions about exhibition and share information about equipment, technical issues, news, jobs, and other related topics. Booth Talk is open to AMIA members and nonmembers and is inclusive of all audiovisual formats, analog and digital. Contact becca@chicagofilmsociety.org to join. SPROCKET SCHOOL The committee has also worked to support the Chicago Film Society's Sprocket School project, a wiki-style compilation of analog film handling and projection booth expertise, freely available online at SprocketSchool.org. Subjects covered are diverse and focus on the kinds of questions about which expert projectionists of archival film prints get panicked text messages from their colleagues—things like how to "scratch test" a projector, an overview of exhibition aspect ratios, how to use a split reel correctly, and more. Volunteer project editors, many of whom are members of the committee, have held a few informal hackathons to develop articles on the site during the COVID-19 lockdown. PROJECTION WORKSHOPS The committee, alongside the Film Advocacy Task Force, has worked to support the emergence of a series of training workshops for working projectionists who project archival analog film prints. After the initial AMIA- affiliated projection workshops in 2014 and 2016—both hosted by Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas—instructors from those workshops began to discuss ways to reproduce, organize, and develop the workshop curriculum. The result was the presentation of a pair of Intermediate Workshops (organized by Alamo Drafthouse and Boston Light and Sound) in 2017 and 2018 and a Level 1 AMIA Projection Workshop (organized by the Chicago Film Society with support from AMIA) in 2018. These workshops helped coalesce and refine the curricula for basic and intermediate skill levels and point the way toward future workshops. These workshops help build a professional community of film handlers and preserve essential skills that make the work of archivists visible to the public. The committee's hope for the future is that more projection workshops will be independently and regionally organized using the framework developed by past instructors at AMIA-affiliated workshops. An AMIA-produced handbook for project workshop organizers, inspired by the Community Archiving Workshop handbook, is nearing completion. SHARING AND LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE The committee has also discussed how members around the country might share information and create resources for supporting exhibition as a means of access and public education in their home regions. In the past, these conversations have mainly revolved around film advocacy and outreach, including encouraging more involvement in local events and workshops like those hosted by the Film [End Page 275] Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 1. Level 1 AMIA Projection Workshop. Photograph by the Chicago Film Society. Click for larger view View full resolution Figure 2. Level 1 AMIA Projection Workshop. Photograph by Katherine Greenleaf. [End Page 276] Advocacy Task Force and the Small Gauge Film Committee, with which our committee enjoys collaborating. As we look forward to the future, we hope to partner with regional film collectors and microcinemas to bring more film to AMIA, but we also are beginning to consider how the impact of the pandemic will change the way people want to experience moving image media. Will open-air exhibition become more desired? If so, how can we support...

Kid Archivist Says: “We Save 2 Film”: 2020 Report from the Committee: Film Advocacy Task Force

Kid Archivist Says: “We Save 2 Film”: 2020 Report from the Committee: Film Advocacy Task Force

Advocacy for children with epilepsy: Leveraging the WHA resolution. Advocacy Task Force, Commission of Pediatrics, International League Against Epilepsy

SummaryIn May 2015 the World Health Assembly (WHA) approved the Resolution on the Global Burden of Epilepsy. This report addresses how the Resolution can be leveraged to improve the care of children with epilepsy worldwide. Children with epilepsy have unique needs and face unique challenges from stigma at all levels of society. Children lack a voice to lobby for their own needs, including their right to have access to education. Effective leadership and governance should be enhanced through the support of stakeholders empowered to counsel, advise, and lobby for appropriate care. National health care plans should integrate primary and specialist care, and they need to be adapted to local specificities. Antiepileptic medicines should be widely accessible in appropriate, sustained, and affordable ways. Public awareness initiatives are needed to improve the inclusion of affected children in society and to reduce stigma. Cost‐effective interventions are also needed to address preventable causes of epilepsy. Without greater investment in research, evidence‐based interventions cannot be implemented. Through all of this, civil society must be engaged to ensure that the multivariate dimensions from the clinic to the community are addressed to fulfil the needs of children with epilepsy.

Performing Urban Violence: Protest Theatre and (Semi-)Public Space in London and Cape Town

This article offers an account of two case studies of theatrical performance from London and Cape Town, both of which raise and interrogate the inter-related concepts of protest theatre and public space. A production of Tunde Euba’s play Brothers, by the Greenwich and Lewisham Young People’s Theater (GLYPT) in London (2013/14), and the contemporaneous theatrical work and awareness-raising campaigns of the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) in Cape Town, both use theatrical performance to question, diagnose and protest multiple forms of violence perpetrated against marginalized urban populations, often at the hands of the state. In twenty-first-century neoliberal cities such as London and Cape Town, government and private forces collude to privatize their once public spaces, thus encroaching upon—if not entirely disappearing—venues that might be used for protesting against such forms of violence (see Garrett).i Meanwhile, those public spaces that do remain are, in the ongoing era of the “War on Terror,” increasingly subject to militarized policing strategies that place increased restrictions on large assemblies and free movement within cities, “particularly for members of darker-skinned groups” (Marcuse 264).

Cisgender male and transgender female sex workers in South Africa: gender variant identities and narratives of exclusion

Sex workers are often perceived as possessing ‘deviant’ identities, contributing to their exclusion from health services. The literature on sex worker identities in relation to health has focused primarily on cisgender female sex workers as the ‘carriers of disease’, obscuring the experiences of cisgender male and transgender sex workers and the complexities their gender identities bring to understandings of stigma and exclusion. To address this gap, this study draws on 21 interviews with cisgender male and transgender female sex workers receiving services from the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce in Cape Town, South Africa. Our findings suggest that the social identities imposed upon sex workers contribute to their exclusion from public, private, discursive and geographic spaces. While many transgender female sex workers described their identities using positive and empowered language, cisgender male sex workers frequently expressed shame and internalised stigma related to identities, which could be described as ‘less than masculine’. While many of those interviewed felt empowered by positive identities as transgender women, sex workers and sex worker-advocates, disempowerment and vulnerability were also linked to inappropriately masculinised and feminised identities. Understanding the links between gender identities and social exclusion is crucial to creating effective health interventions for both cisgender men and transgender women in sex work.

Underlying issues are key to dispelling vaccine doubts

Why is the same vaccine accepted in one part of the world and rejected in another? Heidi Larson tells Fiona Fleck why communicating the benefits versus the risks of vaccination is just part of the battle to gain public confidence in vaccines. Q: How did you become interested in the public response to vaccines? A: When I was leading communications for global immunization at UNICEF and chairing the advocacy taskforce for GAVI, the focus of my work was initially strategic communication, but I ended up spending more time than expected going out to countries that were facing challenges with vaccine acceptance. Most acute was the boycott of the polio vaccine in northern Nigeria 10 years ago, but there were other instances never reported by the media in which communities--and even governments--questioned certain vaccines. As an anthropologist, my job is to understand the social, cultural or political drivers of health behaviours--such as vaccine reluctance or rejection surrounding vaccination--and then to sit down with local vaccination teams and representatives from health ministries to discuss how best to communicate the need for the vaccine and, where necessary, strategies to prevent too much of a. drop in vaccine acceptance. Q: Would you agree with the assessment of the recent Report of the International Monitoring Board (IMB) of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative last year that the campaign requires more focus on communications? A: Communications can't fix a problem you don't understand. I had a sign saying this on my desk at UNICEF, because people tend to think that when there is a lack of public acceptance of a vaccine, you just need to explain the risks and the benefits to them. But sometimes the lack of confidence in vaccines is not just about communicating more effectively, but about delivery issues or different belief systems or, for example in the case of polio, needing security and diplomacy strategies, which the IMB also recognizes. O: How can medical anthropologists help? A: As anthropologists, we seek to understand what drives human behaviour and the method of study we most commonly use is participant observation, that is embedding yourself in the community often during the course of field work. Sometimes it's about paying attention to small details that can reveal the underlying issues that are generating concerns. Q: For example? A: Before the polio vaccine boycott in northern Nigeria, we already saw pockets of resistance to the oral polio vaccine in Uttar Pradesh in northern India, although there was never a statewide political boycott. Rumours were circulating in the Indian state that vaccines sterilize recipients, but when we sat down and talked with the women from these communities, we found that their concerns were different. They didn't want their children to be vaccinated by people from Delhi or other places outside their region because if there was a problem they wouldn't know who to turn to and they didn't want their children vaccinated by men. You can have all the communications in the world about the vaccine safety, but these will never change such concerns and, ultimately, people's behaviour. When you launch a vaccination campaign, communities already have their own approach to health care and we need to understand this because, in a sense, we are trying to displace it. Q: How did you get involved in the SAGE Working Group on Vaccine Hesitancy? A: The group was formed in 2012. It's a positive step in response to an issue that has been brewing over the last decade. The biggest game changer was the polio vaccination boycott in northern Nigeria in 2003. After that, more serious consideration was given in the public health community to what had been thought of as marginal and alternative views on vaccination. Q: What is the significance of the new SAGE working group? A: There used to be a polarized view that people were either pro- or anti-vaccine. …

An open letter to the sleep and circadian rhythms community: Presidents’ viewpoints of the World Sleep Federation (WSF)

An open letter to the sleep and circadian rhythms community: Presidents’ viewpoints of the <scp>W</scp>orld <scp>S</scp>leep <scp>F</scp>ederation (<scp>WSF</scp>)

Association for Library Collections and Technical Services Annual Report 2011–12

Each year serves as a foundation for future Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) activities, and this was no less tree in 2011-12. ALCTS continued to make progress on several fronts and forged new ground as well. The implementation of an innovative strategic plan to guide ALCTS, effective use of task forces to address significant issues, and creative efforts to broaden virtual participation were among the steps taken during the year to strengthen and energize the association. Strategic Plan At the 2011 American Library Association Annual Conference, the ALCTS board approved a new kind of strategic plan, one that is flexible and focused on critical issues. The Planning Committee, chaired by Norm Medeiros, collaborated across the division to track progress this year and monitor new areas of interest. The current target areas include (1) explaining what we are about and what we do; (2) improving how we operate; (3) sustaining ALCTS as a vibrant, relevant organization; and (4) supporting standards development, implementation, and dissemination. At each Annual Conference, the board will review the plan and adapt it to meet changing needs. The Collections Task Force, chaired by Mary Beth Thomson, made great strides in its first year toward carrying out its charge to examine how ALCTS can complement the ALA Strategic Plan 2011-2015 goal to provide leadership in the transformation of libraries and library services in a dynamic and increasingly digital information environment. (1) To this end, the task force launched a micro-grant program to support and encourage innovative practices, emerging technologies, and innovation in collections. Two micro-grants up to $1,500 will be funded annually for small projects or research initiatives in support of transforming collections. Transforming Collections, a program at the 2012 Annual Conference sponsored by the task force, fostered stimulating discussion about advances affecting library collections. In relation to ALAs 2011-2015 Strategic Plan goal area about advocacy, the ALCTS board formed the Advocacy Task Force in fall 2011, chaired by Mary, Beth Weber, to look at what advocacy means within the context of ALCTS. ALCTS' liaisons to the ALA Advocacy Coordinating Group and the ALA Legislative Assembly are among the task force members. The task force will define ALCTS' role in advocacy and recommend what steps, if any, ALCTS should take to enhance its advocacy efforts. Education ALCTS excelled in its continuing education and program offerings this year. With 3,000 subscribers, ALCTS's monthly e-forums attracted a broad range of practitioners to discuss topics as diverse as data management, telecommuting, and discovery tools. ALCTS's web courses continued to be of great interest, at times sold out. More than thirty webinars, 25 percent dealing with RDA, were presented during the year to sizeable audiences. (2) ALCTS held a five-day Virtual Midwinter Symposium, two three-day Virtual Annual preconferences, an in-person symposium at the 2012 ALA Midwinter Meeting, and two in-person preconferences at the 9.012 ALA Annual Conference. ALCTS; sections and interest groups coordinated a wide variety of conference forums and programs. The ALCTS/Association of College and Research Libraries Joint President's Program featuring Duane Bray, Head of IDEO Global Digital Business, was an excellent example of cross-divisional collaboration. This remarkable track record is a reflection of much hard work on the part of ALCTS' sections, interest groups, and committees, especially the Continuing Education Committee and Program Committee, and, of course, the ALCTS office. The Task Force to Convene a Meeting with Library Educators, co-chaired by Tony Olson and Heather Moulaison, successfully completed its charge to plan and convene a meeting with library and information science educators and ALCTS members to discuss education for bibliographic control. …

Abstract LB-48: The survivorship and advocacy task force model at Breast Cancer Connections

Abstract This poster demonstrates that an advocacy program can facilitate effective collaboration between a non-profit cancer support organization and the cancer research community. The evolution and scaling of the Survivorship and Advocacy Task Force Model is illustrated so that it can be replicated by other non-profit disease support organizations. Breast Cancer Connections (BCC), is a non-profit breast cancer resource center serving people touched by breast cancer in the San Francisco Bay Area and globally via the Internet and the telephone Helpline. BCC provides personalized information, support, and connections to other local and national resources in an atmosphere of warmth, sensitivity, and understanding. BCC was founded in 1993, by a surgeon and her patient who saw a need to augment what was being offered through the medical model. With more than 35 programs and services, all offered at no charge, BCC remains a vital and unique resource. Prompted by the requirement for patient advocate and survivor involvement in the research grant application process (California Breast Cancer Research Program, DoD, Susan G. Komen for the Cure) as well as by the increasing needs of breast cancer survivors, BCC formed the Survivorship and Advocacy Task Force (SATF) in 2008. The dual purpose of the SATF is to provide input and review to researchers applying for research grants and to assist BCC in developing services and programs that will improve the lives of breast cancer survivors. Task Force members who participate in reviewing research grants must be active research advocates and have formal training in the language and concepts of breast cancer research (such as Project LEAD Institute) or a Ph.D. in a discipline relevant to breast cancer research.The poster author chairs the BCC's SATF with five active members. The Task Force's efforts include meeting the PI to hear about the research, providing input to the PI on the research from the patient/survivor perspective, reviewing the grant proposal, refining the language of the lay abstract, writing a letter of support to accompany the grant proposal, and participating in the research if the research application is accepted. Current collaborators include breast cancer researchers from Stanford University, Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and University of California, San Francisco. As funding agencies increase their requirements for advocate involvement and as awareness of the importance of survivorship continues to grow, requests for SATF participation continues to increase. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-48. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-48

Trafficking? Exploring the relevance of the notion of human trafficking to describe the lived experience of sex workers in Cape Town, South Africa

This article reports on the findings of a study of the sex work industry in Cape Town that was undertaken by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) and the Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) between 2006 and 2008. The study employed qualitative and quantitative methods to gather data about inter alia, the size of the sex work industry in Cape Town, working conditions in the industry, recruitment practices, factors that resulted in women working in the industry, and the extent of human trafficking in the industry. This article reports on the methods used and the findings. It concludes by arguing that the concept of trafficking is not useful as it does not reflect the lived experience of the majority of sex workers, and does not take the state or society any closer to dealing with exploitation and abuse that occurs in the industry.

International Society of Cutaneous Lymphoma (ISCL) and the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) revisions to the staging and classification of mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome.

Madeleine Duvic, MD, is Professor of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, and Deputy Chairman of the Department of Dermatology at The University of Texas, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She is a founding member of the United States Cutaneous Lymphoma Consortium (USCLC), a Board member of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphoma, and also serves as Director of The Cutaneous Lymphoma Clinic at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Duvic has also served on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). She is certified in Internal Medicine and Dermatology. She has been a principal and co-principal investigator on numerous clinical trials studying the immunology of T-cell mediated disorders and skin cancers, as well as clinical drug development and translational research in T-cell lymphomas, melanoma, and various skin cancers. A prolific author, she has written manuscripts, book chapters, abstracts, and over 300 peer-reviewed journal articles. She is co-author on a recent book on Retinoids and Carotenoids in Dermatology. Dr. Olsen is Professor of Dermatology and Oncology at Duke University Medical Center and the founder and Director of the Duke Cutaneous Lymphoma Research and Treatment Center. She is a Past President, SecretaryTreasurer and member of the Board of Directors of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL) and has chaired the ISCL initiatives on the revisions to 1) the staging and classification of Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sezary Syndrome (SS) (published in Blood 2007) and 2) standardized response criteria and endpoints for MF and SS (in progress). She is a founder and current President of the United States Consortium for Cutaneous Lymphomas (USCCL), a multidisciplinary group whose mission is to enhance patient care through a national registry of patients with cutaneous lymphoma and collaborative clinical trials. She has authored over 90 original articles and is the editor of two textbooks. Dr. Olsen is currently on the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and Deputy Chair of the AAD Patient Advocacy Task Force. As background to the following educational activity, this brief review will discuss the International Society of Cutaneous Lymphoma (ISCL) and the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) revisions to the staging and classification of mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome.

South African anti-trafficking legislation: A critique of control over women's freedom of movement and sexuality

abstract The South African Law Reform Commission (SALRC) recently released a Discussion Paper and a Proposed Bill on Trafficking in Persons, which the public is currently commenting on. The Cape Town-based Sex Worker Education and Advocacy Taskforce (SWEAT) is against human trafficking into the sex work industry and has adopted a protocol some time back that outlines the steps the organisation must take if staff members encounter situations of human trafficking. We believe that the tone of the Discussion Paper on Trafficking and Proposed Bill, as it stands, will impact negatively on sex workers, will not be of the utmost assistance to victims of human trafficking and that, more broadly, it is an attempt to control women's freedom of movement and sexuality. This perspective will discuss the SALRC anti-trafficking documents from a gender perspective, the role of the United States State Department and the abolition of sex work movement in current anti-trafficking global trends. It will discuss the likely impact on victims of trafficking if such legislation is enacted and the practical implications for women's freedom of movement and sexuality.