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EDITOR ’ S NOTE
Here ’ s to NEW beginnings !
There is change in the life of any magazine . It is with great pleasure that I am able to introduce you to the new look and feel of the The Specialist
Forum . This is not merely a cosmetic change , but a substantive makeover in terms of content as well .
We embark on this new journey at a time when the world of journalism is lurching towards an unpredictable digital future and with endless questions being raised about the future of print . In the face of such uncertainty and this gloomy prognosis , we have chosen to swim against the tide and strengthen our commitment to print , which we believe remains relevant and full of potential .
For the design , we have taken a deep content-driven approach . In other words , the design has been used to communicate content rather than compete with it for attention . The effort has been to marry the two seamlessly and produce a look that favours cleanliness over clutter , an easy elegance over exaggerated effect . This new look has been created by our in-house designer , Allison McCallum . Some things , however , remain the same . The values that have inspired the The Specialist Forum and have earned your trust - such as the commitment to clinical content which is accurate and fair , and to in-depth reporting and analyses - remain unaltered . In an age where journalism sensationalises and uses every trick in the book to grab your attention , never before has the term ‘ old-fashioned ’ seemed so comforting and so full of promise .
Change is the new constant , and we accept that . But for us , change also means remaining true to the core values that have made the The Specialist Forum the great magazine that it is .
In this issue , you can expect to find a CPD article by Dr Claudia Gray on the proper clinical treatment of asthma , an article on the treatment and management of epilepsy and a comprehensive feature on erectile dysfunction ( ED ).
Further , please allow me to applaud a South African medical professional who recently received one of the world ’ s most prestigious international accolades .
TIME magazine recently named Professor Glenda Gray to the 2017 TIME 100 , its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world .
South African-born Gray graduated in 1986 as a medical doctor from the University of Witwatersrand and in 1992 qualified as a paediatrician from the College of Medicine South Africa . Internationally acclaimed for her work in HIV research , Gray has broken new boundaries , redefined scientific excellence and pioneered ground-breaking medical research that has shaped global communities and saved lives .
“ Placing people at the centre of health research is the fuel for ensuring impact ,” says Professor Gray , currently serving her term as President and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council ( SAMRC ).
Gray ’ s story over the years is nothing shy of dedication , commitment , and passion for addressing health issues that have and still affect South Africans .
Most notably , she spearheaded the clinical development of the South African AIDS Vaccine initiative ’ s HIV vaccines , the SAAVI DNA / MVA candidates and conducted the first trial using these candidate vaccines in South Africa and the United States . In November 2016 , an ambitious programme was announced to evaluate an HIV vaccine regimen in South Africa that , if successful , could be the first HIV vaccine to be licensed globally .
Congratulations , Professor Gray ! We salute you .
We hope you enjoy this issue of The Specialist Forum as much as we enjoyed creating it for you .
Yours in health Estene Lotriet SF
THE TEAM
EDITORIAL EDITOR : Estene Lotriet estene . vorster @ newmediapub . co . za
SUB EDITOR : Gill Abrahams LAYOUT & DESIGN : Allison McCallum
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4 | May 2017 The Specialist Forum | Vol . 17 No . 4