World Thyroid Day 2017
The European Thyroid Association (ETA) in collaboration with our international sister thyroid societies, the American Thyroid Association (ATA) (www.thyroid.org), the Asia & Oceania Thyroid Association (www.aothyroid.org) and the Latin American Thyroid Society (www.lats.org) are proud and happy to be once again observing World Thyroid Day (WTD), this year our
10th World Thyroid Day, on May 25, 2017.
Established in 2008, the goal of WTD is to greatly promote awareness and increase the level of knowledge among populations everywhere about thyroid diseases.
During the last ten years of celebrating WTD, a large number of events have been organized, such as open door and outdoor activities in different countries and cities worldwide, which have substantially contributed to this Day being endorsed by ever more numerous colleagues throughout the world, as well as to publicizing the significance of this yearly commemoration and its vital message.
Thyroid diseases comprise a major and growing public health burden. The reasons for this lie in the present-day mounting number of environmental hazards, including mainly inadequate iodine intake, selenium and probably vitamin D deficiency, heavy pollution, radiation exposure from nuclear fallout, medical radiation, food additives and preservatives, smoke and other factors, all of which can act epigenetically and trigger an array of thyroid diseases. In addition, of very grave concern is the increasing burden of toxic chemicals in all environments, these capable of causing the disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis among many individuals, but especially in babies and children. Given all the above, it is clear that a call for action must be made along with, most importantly, the development of a policy of awareness and precaution—not only during WTD but year-round. The longer-term goal is, of course, to eventually bring about the implementation of a ban on as many harmful substances as possible.
WTD has the full support of the ETA, a leading international thyroid organization, which strongly appeals for ever more efforts to be made in favor of our patients throughout Europe and around the world. Emphasis needs to be placed on the global prevalence of thyroid diseases and thus on the urgent need for education and prevention programs. In addition, there must be adequate promotion among physicians of the knowledge of the various treatment modalities now available for thyroid diseases along with the expansion of awareness concerning the several recent advances in thyroid research.
The 25th of May is the Day of the International Thyroid Community: it belongs to our many patients and to all doctors and staff dedicated both to the care of thyroid patients as well as to the study of thyroid diseases. It is dedicated, most particularly, to those most exposed to suffering from thyroid diseases, namely, children, pregnant women, the elderly, to whom our concern is especially attentively directed.
As every year, the ETA also encourages the holding of events around WTD, namely, during International Awareness Thyroid Week (this year from 21 to 28 May) and requests all those who conduct such activities to inform us by sending photos, videos and comments, which will be featured in our Newsletter.
ETA Commemorates the 10th Anniversary of World Thyroid Day!
Leonidas Duntas Barbara Demeneix Colin Dayan
Co-Chair of the ETA- Public Health Board Secretary of the ETA