Challenges and Opportunities - How EASD Turned Global

00:00:00: Diabetes Insights, Breakthroughs and Innovators.

00:00:04: The EASD TV podcast

00:00:07: from the

00:00:07: annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.

00:00:13: Hello!

00:00:13: Welcome

00:00:14: to EAS DTV.

00:00:15: Now.

00:00:16: one of great pleasures in this role here at our studio is talk with the past president.

00:00:22: I have with me Stefano Del Prato who will be well known to all of you.

00:00:27: past presidents Stefano, welcome.

00:00:31: Thank you very much Vivian pleasure to be here.

00:00:34: so You are if I can call this the COVID president because it happened that covid occurred when Soon after, I think you took up your presidency.

00:00:46: Exactly!

00:00:47: I mean...I started my presidency in January of twenty-twenty and as a new president i was making all my plans trying to see what could be done for the year to come What we can contribute with the growth of ESD and so on So forth.

00:01:03: And then...Toby came.

00:01:07: It was really a striking thing, and we had to change completely our view on vision.

00:01:15: Just give an example here in Vienna beautiful lot of people going around the fantastic program... And that was their idea also in twenty-twenty.

00:01:25: but then just couple months ago they changed from an in person meeting with thousands of people expected A big question mark, of course as you can imagine.

00:01:37: Because first of all no one has had an experience in setting up a virtual meeting.

00:01:43: No one of us knew to which extent people could be still interested To participate in the virtual meetings.

00:01:51: We're also concerned about what would be The participation of our sponsor and supporters.

00:01:57: So it was really...a big, big question Mark

00:02:00: And also the financial, potential financial impact.

00:02:03: Yeah of course you said that so and we had to get something out off their heads.

00:02:15: The best thing really came from.

00:02:16: it was a strong collaboration That started among all members on board All member in ESD office.

00:02:26: Really there is way Now, we need to do something here.

00:02:31: We also needed to work all together and it was from this point of view actually a very important experience for me.

00:02:38: but there is an important thing that I learned about the experience.

00:02:45: as i said It's virtual And I'm surprised because on our first virtual meeting more than twenty thousand people registered.

00:02:57: That was extraordinary.

00:02:58: And then we said, you know... Oh my goodness!

00:03:00: What's going on here?

00:03:01: Why is

00:03:01: that?!

00:03:02: We were going and checking where all these participants are coming from.

00:03:07: As a big surprise the top countries came from South America or very far away countries.

00:03:14: That made me think because I was considering how come people now are registering at this large number.

00:03:25: The simplest explanation that there is a lot of interest on the activities of DESD, particularly for the annual meeting.

00:03:34: But Europe can be very far away from some other geographical places.

00:03:40: it can be time-consuming and also expensive.

00:03:43: so we will start reasoning to establish better connection with these people by through this virtual meeting and keeping the virtual meeting along with the in-person meetings as it's happening now here.

00:03:59: And I have to say that ESD has a long experience because recording, streaming... The meeting was already there so they, on some extent, facilitated our... You were very

00:04:09: well placed when you also just put in your eLearning.

00:04:13: Yes exactly!

00:04:15: As result of that we had an eLearning thing but another outcome.

00:04:21: Because we said, if the ESD is of so much interest to many places all around are we listening?

00:04:30: Are you having a good counter with them?

00:04:32: and then I started thinking that we should establish a global council.

00:04:37: To have people representing different geographical areas.

00:04:41: We can provide our support but also receive input from them.

00:04:45: And i think we could do an even better job because yes it's the European Association for Diabetes But I think that we have global outreach.

00:04:54: So and because of that, We really need to speak with these people And talk to those people To really have more common and shared programs.

00:05:02: so i think Covid was stressing to some extent but I think that out of the stress something good can come up.

00:05:13: So,

00:05:13: out-of-the-stress has come both a global... much more global outlook?

00:05:16: Yes

00:05:17: definitely!

00:05:17: And you must be pleased to see the first Global Impact Prize as one of the first outcomes for the Global Council

00:05:24: Definitely.

00:05:25: I mean, the global council that was started... ...I know it wasn't in my thinking or head but now is a real thing and true think And has really been working very effectively.

00:05:37: The first as you said not the first prize to Dr.

00:05:40: Montt.

00:05:41: But also there's fantastic publication on Diabetologia under the leadership of Francesco Giorgino the new president of EASD with an interesting paper, really looking at what is local need in terms research and clinical education and clinical implementation.

00:06:00: So I think that we're moving along with that line... And you know thing about it.

00:06:05: did the spark came?

00:06:07: At that time a stressful time.

00:06:09: A spot now full blown!

00:06:14: Now one of the new features this year, and I don't know whether you think it's a welcome feature or not.

00:06:20: Seven fifteen starts for The Big Meetings.

00:06:24: Yeah yeah no...I mean when there is such big meeting You really want to bring something new all the time right?

00:06:34: And i think that this part But there are many other things that come in as a new feature of this Congress.

00:06:42: Is the Stars, you mentioned it?

00:06:45: The arena

00:06:46: has been huge success!

00:06:51: People love it because people like to get together and have direct contact with leaders or big experts...

00:07:00: That's another side of the Covid thing isn't?

00:07:04: Yes, we all thought that we could do this stuff virtually but what also really understood the value of people being together.

00:07:13: Oh!

00:07:14: That for sure.

00:07:15: I think you are an expert in virtual communication of course But here with us and speaking to each other there is a different feeling than speaking through screen or simply through a screen.

00:07:31: I think it's part of our human being.

00:07:35: And also, if you look at what happened after the COVID even in science... ...I think that everyone feels a little bit compressed and there was like spring jumping up afterwards.

00:07:46: people just really enjoyed so much to get together.

00:07:49: So i think is very reassuring and am happy to see the ESD and the annual meeting with ESD starting grow again.

00:07:59: I think the next year will be even better, because first of all it would need a lead.

00:08:02: Of course

00:08:04: Milan!

00:08:05: In Milan but also because every annual meeting of the ESD is going to be better than previous one and worse for the next one.

00:08:16: So finally what have you seen this year that you were really energised by?

00:08:25: Any particular session

00:08:28: There will be many, many... I know

00:08:30: it's

00:08:31: like to ask you between each of them.

00:08:34: I've been part of the steering committee on this study.

00:08:37: You probably heard about the sub-pass and CVOT.

00:08:41: All right It was a session starting at seven fifteen in the morning And that was a little concerning Thursday.

00:08:48: Oh my goodness!

00:08:49: This is big study.

00:08:50: How many people are going?

00:08:53: wake up early in the morning, take the metro or bus or walk here.

00:08:59: The room is not enough as a definition.

00:09:02: that B-hole was packed!

00:09:05: So I think once again it's demonstration of good science innovation and good news.

00:09:12: really is this period of attraction what has happened throughout the annual meeting?

00:09:19: So the Super Civility is one of those sessions, there will be multiple session with a lot success.

00:09:25: Even this morning we speak.

00:09:27: in today's last day at the annual meeting The rooms are plenty and really full.

00:09:33: People still know interacting asking questions presenting data.

00:09:38: It just a big pleasure to see all these happening.

00:09:40: It's wonderful to talk with you.

00:09:43: You are just such a part of the EASD family, we couldn't think about it without thinking of you, Stefano Del Brato.

00:09:50: I could not think about my scientific and clinical career without ESD.

00:09:58: Thank you so much!

00:09:59: And there will be more from us very soon.

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00:10:13: And you'll always stay up to date with the latest in diabetes research and discoveries!