ISSWSH - News

ISSWSH ISSUES IMPORTANT UPDATES FOR HSDD THERAPIES

Details: Created: Tuesday, 05 November 2019

ISSWSH is pleased to provide the following updates related to therapies for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder or HSDD. The FDA has updated prescribing information for flibanserin, removed the REMS certification requirement for prescribers and pharmacists, and updated safety information related to the alcohol contraindication. In addition, bremelanotide has now been approved for treatment of HSDD. Please see the attached news release related to these two therapies for more specific information and references.

News Release

ISSWSH Executive Committee responds to CNN Health Article

Details: Created: Saturday, 11 May 2019

A recently published health report on HSDD treatments was poorly researched, contained elements of bias, and perpetuated inaccuracies about the condition.

We, the Executive Committee of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (www.isswsh.org) write this response to an article published on May 8, 2019 on CNN Health entitled “Drug Campaign Touts 'Female Viagra' in the Name of Equality” by Rachel Bluth of Kaiser Health News (https://edition.cnn.com/2019/05/08/health/women-libido-addyi-partner/index.html). As a scientific and medical society dedicated to supporting research, education, and clinical care for women’s sexual health, ISSWSH encourages informed discussion on disease states impacting sexual health. We also understand that there may be valid critiques of how some pharmaceutical companies conduct their marketing campaigns. Nevertheless, we found the article in question to be poorly researched and especially biased.

In Memoriam - Marcel D. Waldinger, MD, PhD

Details: Created: Tuesday, 07 May 2019

It is with great sadness we announce the loss of one of our sexual medicine colleagues, Marcel Waldinger, on May 1. Dr. Waldinger was a long time member of ISSWSH, most recently serving on the consensus panel for Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD). His landmark work in this area, caring for patients and examining the retaionship between PGAD and Restless Leg Syndrome will be included in the consensus document from this panel. Thus his work will continue posthumously. Dr. Waldinger will also be remembered for his work in the area of premature ejaculation, helping to develop the content of measuring intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) used in premature ejaculation clinical trials. He was passionate about his work and about helping his patients, working cooperatively to further knowledge in the field.

Mayo Clinic Proceedings Publishes ISSWSH's Process of Care for the Identification of Sexual Concerns and Problems in Women

Details: Created: Thursday, 18 April 2019

Sexual problems are common in women of all ages. Despite their frequency and impact, female sexual dysfunctions (FSDs) are often unrecognized and untreated in clinical settings. This POC describes core and advanced competencies in FSD for clinicians who are not sexual medicine specialists and serve as caregivers of women and, therefore, is useful for clinicians with any level of competence in sexual medicine. The goal of the POC is to provide guidance to clinicians regarding screening, education, management, and referral for women with sexual problems.

ISSWSH CME Forum at ACOG

Details: Created: Friday, 05 April 2019

ISSWSH CME Forum at the ACOG Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting
Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: Who, What, When, Where and Why?
Join us on Sunday, May 5, 2019 from 6:15 - 7:45 am in Room 101 BC - Music City Center in Nashville, TN to learn how to diagnose and treat women with HSDD. Breakfast will be available.

In Memoriam - Fernand Labrie, MD, PhD (1937-2019)

Details: Created: Friday, 18 January 2019

The field of women’s sexual health has lost another crusader. Fernand Labrie, born in Laurierville, Quebec on June 28, 1937 and one of the greatest scientists in Canada’s history, died on Wednesday of an infection at age 81.

In Memoriam – Gina Ogden (1935-2018)

Details: Created: Friday, 16 November 2018

Gina Ogden – feminist, teacher, scholar, mother, grandmother, lover, and lifelong Red Sox fan – has died at age 83.

ICD-11 Includes New Chapter on Conditions Related to Sexual Health

Details: Created: Thursday, 26 July 2018

The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the official publication of a new version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) which includes a new chapter on Conditions Related to Sexual Health, bringing together conditions that were previously categorized in other ways and mostly under mental disorders.

Management of GSM in Women with a High Risk for Cancer: Consensus Recommendation

Details: Created: Friday, 18 May 2018

ISSWSH in collaboration with the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) is publishing consensus recommendations for the management of genitourinary syndrome of menopause in women with or at high risk for breast cancer. The consensus recommendations will assist healthcare providers in managing GSM with a goal of improving the care and quality of life for these women. Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is more prevalent in survivors of breast cancer, is commonly undiagnosed and untreated, and may have early onset because of cancer treatments or risk-reducing strategies.

DYSPAREUNIA: CMS CLARIFICATION RESULTS IN EXPANDED TREATMENT AND COVERAGE UNDER MEDICARE PART D

Details: Created: Thursday, 10 May 2018

ISSWSH is pleased to announce and recognize the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) clarification of the statutory intent of “Prescription Drug Benefits” section 1860D-2(e)(2)(A) of the Social Security Act, stating that drugs for the treatment of moderate to severe dyspareunia (pain during sexual intercourse) due to menopause, are not excluded from Medicare Part D coverage when used consistent with this labeling.

ISSWSH PUBLICATION ON PROCESS OF CARE FOR HSDD NOW AVAILABLE IN MAYO CLINIC PROCEEDINGS

Details: Created: Monday, 12 March 2018

The International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH) is pleased to announce the publication of its Process of Care for Management of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD) in Women in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. This milestone publication is the first to provide a consensus clinical management algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of HSDD.

Sunday, March 4th, Marks the 1st Annual International HPV Awareness Day – Spreading Knowledge and Prevention Around the Globe

Details: Created: Friday, 02 March 2018

This Sunday, March 4th the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH) will be joining forces with around 80 organizations worldwide to commemorate the 1st annual International HPV Awareness Day. The goal of the day is to spark conversation and promote a worldwide exchange of ideas, knowledge, and research materials about human papillomaviruses (HPV) and their associated diseases.

ISSWSH Welcomes New President - Dr. James A. Simon

Details: Created: Monday, 12 February 2018

ISSWSH welcomes Dr. James A. Simon, M.D., Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at The George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington D.C., as its new President.

Expert Consensus Panel On Hsdd Article Recommended In F1000Prime

Details: Created: Monday, 08 May 2017

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder: international society for the study of women’s sexual health (ISSWSH) expert consensus panel review, authored by ISSWSH members Irwin Goldstein, Noel Kim, Anita Clayton, Leonard DeRogatis, Annamaria Giraldi, Sharon Parish, Jim Pfaus, and James Simon, has been recommended in F1000Prime as being of special significance in its field.

F1000 provides a rapidly updated consensus map of the important articles and trends across biology and medicine through the opinions and perspectives of over 10,000 peer-nominated international experts, the F1000 Faculty.

Rethinking the use of hormones to ease menopause symptoms

Details: Created: Tuesday, 13 September 2016

Studies suggest that the benefits of short-term treatment to control menopausal symptoms outweigh the risks - as long as it is started at or near menopause.

Read more

ISSM announces available Travel Stipends and Scholarships

Details: Created: Friday, 22 April 2016

ISSM is pleased to announce that 15 Travel Stipends will be provided to attendees of the 2016 World Meeting on Sexual Medicine being held in Beijing, China, September 2016.
Complete details on the stipends and an application can be found here: www.issm.info/grants1/travel-stipends-2016

Furthermore, ISSM will be providing 10 Scholarships to the ESSM School of Sexual Medicine taking place in Budapest, Hungary, October 2016.
Complete details on the Scholarships and an application can be found here: www.issm.info/grants1/issm-scholarships

2015 ISSVD, ISSWSH and IPPS Consensus Terminology and Classification of Persistent Vulvar Pain and Vulvodynia.

Details: Created: Tuesday, 29 March 2016

In 2015, the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease (ISSVD), International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH) , and International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) adopted a new vulvar pain and vulvodynia terminology that acknowledges the complexity of the clinical presentation and pathophysiology involved in vulvar pain and vulvodynia, and incorporates new information derived from evidence-based studies conducted since the last terminology published in 2003. The article “2015 ISSVD, ISSWSH and IPPS Consensus Terminology and Classification of Persistent Vulvar Pain and Vulvodynia.” has been published simultaneously in the Journal of Lower Genital Tract Diseases and Obstetrics & Gynecology and will be published soon in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Please click here for link to article in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Please click here for full text article in Journal of Lower Genital Tract Disease.

ISSWSH Press Release

Details: Created: Monday, 29 February 2016

PRESS RELEASE

Reference Articles:
Efficacy and Safety of Flibanserin for the Treatment of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder in Women A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, Loes Jaspers; Frederik Feys; Wichor M. Bramer; Oscar H. Franco; Peter Leusink; Ellen T. M. Laan; JAMA Intern Med. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2015.8565, Published online February 29, 2016.
and the accompanying editorial
US Food and Drug Administration Approval of Flibanserin, Even the Score Does Not Add Up, Steven Woloshin; Lisa M. Schwartz; JAMA Internal Medicine Published online February 29, 2016.

Download PDF
- Press Release
- Bullet Points Reference Article
- Bullet Points Accompanying Editorial

February 29, 2016 - Science has been corrupted by bias and personal agendas resulting in publication of a distorted analysis of outcomes of research trials. As authorities in the area of sexual function and dysfunction in women, in particular hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), the Board of Directors of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH)¹ is concerned that the aforementioned articles would be accepted by and published as quality science and factual commentary. According to Levine, the diverse controversies involving treatments for sexual difficulties have resulted in stakeholders interpreting science for us in ways that support their political ideological views, economic interests, or skill sets.² This is clearly the case with regard to both the Jaspers et al. article and subsequent editorial response. We wish to set the record straight. When articles that reflect opinion rather than science are published in scientific journals, they harm those meant to be aided by science and medicine resulting, in this case, in a great disservice to the millions of pre-menopausal women suffering from HSDD.

Scientific Program of the ISSWSH Annual Meeting 2016

Details: Created: Tuesday, 24 November 2015

We're excited to announce the availability of our full and detailed scientific program for the upcoming Annual Meeting to be held in Charleston, South Carolina, from February 25 to 28, 2016. For full details please visit http://www.isswshmeeting.org today. While you're there, please don't forget to register! See you in Charleston

2015 Consensus terminology and classification of persistent vulvar pain

Details: Created: Wednesday, 09 September 2015

Dear ISSWSH Members

Since the previous terminology of vulvodynia was accepted by the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disorders (ISSVD) in 2003, studies have explored possible causative factors and treatment options. The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH), The International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disorders (ISSVD) and the International Pelvic Pain Society (IPPS) believed there was an unmet medical need for a comprehensive, evidence-based set of vulvovaginal pain diagnoses that can be easily utilized by both expert and non-expert healthcare providers to establish diagnoses in their patients and to guide treatment. Therefore we discussed the possibility of revision of 2003 terminology and organized an ISSWSH sponsored international meeting in order to reach a consensus on the terminology of vulvar pain, April 8 - 9, 2015 in Annapolis, Maryland. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the National Vulvodynia Association (NVA) were also represented.

Flibanserin approved as the FIRST pharmacologic treatment option for women suffering from hypoactive sexual desire disorder

Details: Created: Tuesday, 18 August 2015

Dear ISSWSH members,

It is with tremendous excitement that we share the announcement that flibanserin, a drug for acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) developed by Sprout Pharmaceuticals, was approved by the FDA on August 18, 2015. This follows the June 4, 2015 meeting of their Advisory Committee whose members voted 18-6 for approval.

Flibanserin recommended for approval by the FDA Advisory Committee Panel

Details: Created: Friday, 05 June 2015

Dear ISSWSH members,
It is with great excitement that I share the announcement that flibanserin, a drug for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) developed by Sprout Pharmaceuticals, was recommended for approval by the FDA Advisory Committee Panel on June 4, 2015.

General Statement of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health

Details: Created: Friday, 08 May 2015

The International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health (ISSWSH), the preeminent scientific organization focused on research, education, and clinical practice of women's sexuality, applauds the FDA's recent announcement of it's upcoming Joint Meeting of the Bone, Reproductive and Urologic Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee on June 4, 2015.

FDA announced a Public Advisory Committee Meeting

Details: Created: Wednesday, 06 May 2015

FDA announced a Public Advisory Committee Meeting to review the approval of flibanserin for hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in women on June 4, 2015. Should you wish to submit your written comments or request time at the public microphone, the deadline is a week away. Please find all details in the Federal Register Notice by clicking on this link. - -

International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health