2009-01-12 22:25:56 - Zion Ben-Rafael MD, the Founder and Co-Chairman of the COGI Congress in Paris is interviewed about the congress and the IVF/ART Q&A session.

Q: Prof Ben-Rafael- tell us about the COGI congress
Zion Ben-Rafael: COGI -The World Congress on "Controversies in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility" - is a unique, comprehensive congress, fully devoted to clinical debates and controversial issues in the entire field of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility. The congress is exceptional in character, providing an opportunity for participants to receive a complete update

in diverse fields, a task that requires several congresses to attain these results! (www.comtecmed.com/cogi/paris).

Q. What about other fields of medicine?
Zion Ben-Rafael: Over the last few years, the concept was quickly implemented by numerous other medical disciplines.

Q: What is so special about this concept?
Zion Ben-Rafael: The "Controversy Congresses" rely on several pillars. Contrary to the current trends where congresses are becoming more and more specific, or even monothematic, the "Controversies Congresses" are all-encompassing, covering the entire spectrum of the specific medical discipline and beyond, sometimes combining two closely-related disciplines, such as those of gastroenterology and liver disease, plastic surgery and dermatology, or diabetes, obesity and hypertension (www.comtecmed.com).

Q. Is there any other difference?
Zion Ben-Rafael: These congresses strive to promote a true clinical discussion by sorting all the "Pros" and "Cons" on pressing, unresolved issues between practising physicians and clinical researchers not only by allowing ample time for speaker-audience interaction according to "evidence-based medicine" principles, but also by "expert opinions" when evidence is lacking.

Q. Expert opinion is all but "Evidence Based"!
Zion Ben-Rafael: Wrong, the questions are certainly debatable, but the experts' answers are not based only on personal experience, but also on the "best available" evidence.

Q. Tell us about the Expert Opinion session.
Zion Ben-Rafael: During the 11th World COGI Congress held in Paris with the participation of almost 2000 participants, in November 2008, a panel of world-renowned experts and an audience of 600 specialists discussed 10 important basic questions in IVF/ART for 2 hours. The moderators were Prof Zion Ben Rafael (Israel) and Prof. Joelle Belaisch-Allart (France). The panelists were Prof. Salim Daya (Canada); Prof. Klaus Diedrich (Germany); Prof. Norbert Gleicher (USA), and Prof. René Frydman (France).

Contact Details:
Zion Ben-Rafael
Web Site: blip.tv/file/1635704/
Email: zion@benrafael.co.il
Tel: 050-5321096