MEJFM - Pan Arab Congress for Evidence Based Medicine




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	Dr Abdulrazak Abyad MD,MPH, AGSF Editorial office: Abyad Medical Center & Middle East Longevity Institute Azmi Street, Abdo Center, PO BOX 618 Tripoli, Lebanon Phone: (961) 6-443684 Fax: (961) 6-443685 Email: aabyad@cyberia.net.lb

	Lesley Pocock medi+WORLD International 572 Burwood Road, Hawthorn 3122 AUSTRALIA Email: lesleypocock

Pan Arab Congress for Evidence Based Medicine - The first EBM Arab forum

In the period from 11-14 April 2005, The National and Gulf Center for EBM (NGCEBM) in King Abdelaziz Medical City (KAMC) for National Guard at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has conducted the first Arab forum for Evidence Based Medicine. The center was established at May 2004, and was recognized by the Minister of health for GCC as a reference center for EBM.

EBM which is the integration of the best available evidence from research with the clinical experience on the context of patient beliefs and preferences. Although EBM as science was known since early 1990th, yet Arab world started to explore it.
Some countries like Egypt, Bahrain, Oman and Saudi Arabia have developed centers for EBM; other countries like Sudan have developed an association for EBM.

These centers and associations are aiming at increasing the awareness of Arab world to EBM through teaching EBM.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PACEBM

The aim of the congress was to promote EBM among Arab world. The objectives for the congress are:

1.	To increase awareness to EBM among Arab world.
2.	To exchange experiences between the interested people.
3.	To increase the coordination and cooperation among EBM individuals and centers.
4.	To provide EBM training in the post-congress workshops.

ACTIVITIES

1.	The first 2 days (11-12 April 05): were devoted for the congress. The congress constituted of 8 sessions/themes:
1.1.	key Not: Prof Gordon Guyatt, McMaster University-Canada
1.2.	Cochrane Collaboration- Why Arab World? Three speakers covered this theme: Dr. Abdulla Al Khenaizan, Dr. Hassan Baaqeel, and Dr. Mazen Ferwana.
1.3.	Debate: Who should decide? The patient or the Doctor? Dr. Mahmoud El Barbary took the role of "Doctor" while Dr. Edward Devol took the role of "patient". It was exciting session, where each party treid to prove himself as the right person. Poll through electronic devices was done thought the debate.
1.4.	Impact of EBM in health care systems and policies: This session was covered by Dr. Khalid Al hussain, Dr. Lubna Al Ansary, and Dr. tawfeek Khoja.
1.5.	Systematic Reviews and Randomised controlled trials: delivered by Prof. Gordon Guyatt, Dr. Nassir Abuzeid, and Hesham Al-Inany.

1.6.	EBM in Arab Countries: 4 Arab countries highlighted the main activities of EBM with areas of strength and limitations. These countries are: Bahrain (Dr. Khaldoon al Roomi), Syria (Dr. Adib Assali), Egypt (Dr. Abdel Hameed Attia), and Saudi Arabia (Dr. Bander Knawy)
1.7.	Free paper presentatios: 7 papers were presented by: A. Johar, G. Wajid, Z. Al Ziedan, A. Al Khnaizan, K. Al Ghamdi, M. Al Salamah, I Hassan.
1.8.	EBM in Medical education training and curricula: Covered by Dr. Hossam Hamdi and Dr. Mohammad Hijazi.
2.	Post-congress workshops: 4 parallel workshops were conducted, total attendees were100.
2.1	Basic EBM workshop: 48 attended
2.2	How to Teach EBM "Teaching the Teachers": 12 attended.
2.3	Pharmaco-economics: 12 attended
2.4	How to do Systematic Reviews: 28 attended.

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE PAN ARAB CONGRESS FOR EVIDENCE BASED MEDICINE

11 - 12 April, 2005 - King Faisal Conference Hall - Riyadh

1.	Increasing the cooperation, and the exchange of expertise between Arab countries, find out the need to have similar conference annually.
2.	Study changing the Arabic Translation for EBM to the shorter version - refer to the Arabic Recommendation.
3.	Agreement by all attendants of the meeting to establish Arabic network for EBM, that would be a network to exchange expertise, the mechanisms of this network shall be defined later by the attendants of this business meeting in a later stage.
4.	Emphasize on providing more workshops, and training courses in the field of Evidence Based Medicine in the Arab countries.
5.	Recommending including of the Evidence Based Medicine within the curriculums of Medicine, and other science colleges.
6.	Recommending including the Evidence Based Medicine for the physician as a mandatory Requirement when; they join Medical specialized training courses, and for their registration / registration to practice as physicians.
7.	Benefiting from the successful implementations of EBM for other countries or centers, and consider them as a role model.
8.	The conference recommends the participation of all healthcare providers, and healthcare decision-makers in the spread of EBM Concepts for all the benefits it carries for the patient, and the healthcare institution.