PANLAR, the Next Decade

In the continent, PANLAR represents the integration and unity of the whole rheumatology branch in America. It was founded in 1944 and its growth and development was possible based on the full compliance of its objectives set by its founders. 

PANLAR has accompanied in its role as a league of medical association in the technical, scientific, administrative, and ethic growth of rheumatology defined by its founders, such as Anibal Ruiz Moreno, among others. 

Rheumatology in the American continent through PANLAR is supported on the fact that its 21 national societies have contributed to the scientific world great achievements such as the Nobel prize of Medicine, granted to the American Rheumatologist Dr. Phillip Hench for the discovery of Cortisone in 1949. Other achievements were reached both in immunogenetics through the HLA system, trying to decipher the mechanisms for autoimmune inflammatory diseases, as well as the therapeutic advances such as the discovery of biologic therapies.  

In the upcoming decades, PANLAR will organize gatherings through the recollection of data and information with the presence of all the presidents of the National Societies, the whole executive committee and the coordination of the study groups. The general planification seeks to discuss fundamental aspects for PANLARs next decade because there is currently an urgent need for new modifications in its statutes. 

The 10 main topics that will be discussed, analyzed, and suggested for their execution in the next 10 years of PANLAR will be (without any specific order or priority):

1. The official headquarters for PANLAR, with its transition from a medical-scientific virtual organization to a real one. 
2. The definition of its organ or official journal.

• The official PANLAR Journal. An organized journal with a high scientific impact support, it will be a great support for the growth of our organization. 
• The official journal in this next decade must evaluate and disseminate the growth of all of the national societies on the American continent. It should also stimulate the scientific spirit of evidence and technological advances in rheumatology. 
• The official PANLAR Journal within the Hippocratic thinking should be a stimulant and coordinator of science regarding rheumatology in America and also a worldwide referent in the next decade. 

1. The website and newsletter structures.

• This will be an important function and objective for PANLAR for the next decade. The future will be based on digital communication. 
• Our greatest scientific and social exchange shall grow with a greater interaction and integration of all the regions that make part of PANLAR. 

1. The strengthening of the annual PANLAR congress. 

• The annual PANLAR congress is now a reality and a great success, the last two events were held in Buenos Aires and Quito. 
• The PANLAR scientific integration must be an important stage to complete; as the annual congress is usually adapted to the scientific and technical advances, it will be a great aid in favor of this objective. 
• To improve the methodology of the annual national congress in face-to-face gatherings as well as in the virtual versions of the same. 
• An annual interactive PANLAR congress, with a broad range of scientific topics, of easy access to all the PANLAR regions with the general objective of being a humanized encounter, with the capacity to develop and stimulate our specialty: rheumatology. 

1. The strengthening of the study groups. 

• This PANLAR function will be very important and fundamental in the next decade. 
• The study groups should be structured with scientific and cultural orientation objectives for the full development of a permanent interaction among all regions. 
• The interaction must be continuous and constant in order to achieve a greater sensibilization during the discussion among all the study groups, with or without the participation on social networks, as well as in other face-to-face aspects. All this with the purpose of always achieving educational material. 
• PANLARs medical education strategies must be state of the art, guaranteeing all an excellent medical, scientific, and moral education. 
• To strengthen and stimulate the whole PANLAR scientific production to publish it in the scientific journal. 

1. The financial and administrative structuring.

• The professional and competent vision of the new PANLAR advances must aim towards having an efficient management of its assets (assets and liabilities) in the administrative and financial areas.  

1. PANLAR Yearly Fees and Funding.

• To stimulate the 21 PANLAR societies to maintain their payment commitments of the yearly fees according to the statutes and internal PANLAR policies. 

1. Integration and union of all the national societies in the American continent. 

• The geographic structure of PANLAR is broad, with various heterogeneous national societies. A greater integration and union of the same will be a decisive factor for the growth of PANLAR. 

1. Relation between PANLAR and APLAR/AFLAR/EULAR.

• Their needs, importance, and design regarding the proper functioning and the definition of a relationship as a vital mean for the growth and survival of PANLAR. 

1. The structuring of the PANLAR awards and their honors evaluations as professors in Latin American rheumatology, the Anibal Ruiz Moreno and the PANLAR Young Rheumatologist awards. 

• The next decade will be important and necessary to stimulate the young rheumatologist of the American continent to develop a PANLAR growth work with Pan-American spirit. To provide greater knowledge regarding trustworthy scientific information through social networks,  mainly for the general population. To develop informative programs regarding Rheumatic Diseases for patients with PANLAR and National Societies orientation. 
• To promote and support scientific research programs. 
• To support programs for the prevention of Rheumatic Diseases, as well as informative programs for the general population with the participation of patient organizations. 
• Post graduate medical studies in rheumatology with new tendencies in medical education shall be decisive for PANLARs mission. 
• The scientific and educational integration of PANLAR with all the national societies will be fundamental and decisive in this post graduate education project. 
• To promote new technologies. 
• To stimulate the professional exercise of rheumatology.
• To improve the rheumatological specialty in all scenarios PANLAR future, who it belongs to and who is responsible for it. 

We are in 2020, we continue to progress towards a better definition of this strong and united rheumatological association in America. 

We are moving forward with the planification for “PANLAR: the next decade” because the workers are still few and there is a lot of work ahead. 

We are all PANLAR in this corporate fight with the objective of being a movement with a better individual and institutional organization oriented towards aiding rheumatic patients. 

PANLAR always in the next decade.