Background
Dermatology and the International Classification of Diseases
Report from the Co-chairs
Michael Weichenthal, University of Kiel: MWeichenthal@dermatology.uni-kiel.de
Robert Chalmers, University of Manchester: r.chalmers@man.ac.uk
We recently reported how the ILDS has accepted the challenge of contributing in a major way to the updating and modernisation of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The President of ILDS, Professor Jean-Hilaire Saurat, has been very supportive in this endeavour. If dermatology is absent from the table, as has largely been the case with past revisions, it is not surprising that defects which are glaringly obvious to us as dermatologists may be overlooked by others. In response to this challenge the ILDS has accepted that dermatology should be fully represented at WHO for the period of the alpha-drafting of ICD-11 from September 2009 to May 2010.
The next nine months are going to be crucial to the final look of the 11th Revision when it is published in about five years' time. In September there will be a vital workshop for the whole team in Geneva. This is scheduled to last two weeks and will lay down the ground rules for the creation of the new ICD and testing of the custom-built platform for working on the revision. Both of us (MW and RC) are planning to be there. In October the Dermatology Topic Advisory Group will convene at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology Annual Meeting in Berlin. If any dermatologists feel they would like to contribute in any way to the development of ICD and would like to meet us at the EADV please contact us by email. We still need to identify a large number of volunteers to help in the Expert Working Groups (EWGs).
We are currently in the process of identifying who should lead each of the proposed EWGs. It is normal for one member of the Topic Advisory Group and one external member with specific expertise in the subject area to be appointed as co-chairs of each EWG.
Because there are so many diverse disorders affecting the skin it is not an easy task to decide exactly how to construct the EWGs. It would be unworkable to have too many EWGs but on the other hand some of the proposed EWGs cover a large topic area. After much deliberation we have opted for the following schema. Some of the EWGs have been divided so that sub-groups would be responsible for developing specific sections of the overall topic. Our TAG members will be assembling teams over the next few weeks in preparation for the alpha drafting process. If you feel that you are in a position to help please do contact one of us stating the content area which interests you and why you feel you would have something to contribute. Alternatively if you would like to nominate someone you feel should be involved in the process please let us know why you think that person would be appropriate and how he or she can be contacted.
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