IBSA is among the main supporters of the International Thyroid Awareness Week 2021, which will take place from the 24th to 30th of May. The goal is to raise awareness among the population on the importance of pathologies related to the thyroid gland. This initiative enjoys the support of both national and international endocrinological scientific societies.
The attention paid to the thyroid derives from the great importance that this gland has within the endocrine system, as it performs a series of fundamental functions for the physiological well-being of the body. Over six million Italians suffer from disorders of various nature that derive from an incorrect functioning of the thyroid gland. This year, with the patronage of the National Institute of Health (ISS), the main theme of the Week is "Thyroid and COVID Pandemic".
While remembering that the main objective of the Week is to inform the population about the different problems and prevention methods related to thyroid diseases, the current historical context raises many questions to people with thyroid diseases.
"The quality of the relationship and communication between doctor and patient is a factor of great importance whilst directing the diagnostic and therapeutic process, as well as for the success of the treatment" says Anna Maria Biancifiori, President of the Endocrine Patient Associations (EPAC) Committee.
Celestino Pio Lombardi, President of the Italian Unitary Society of Endocrine Surgery (IUSES), underlines instead the difficulties encountered during the therapeutic path of patients in the pandemic period: "The fear of 'going to the hospital', the contingency of appointments and, in many cases, the temporary suspension of services. The transformation of hospitalization wards into ‘COVID’ units and the lengthening of the time - often required - to perform thyroidectomy operations must be considered as well”.
