The Latin American Society for Nephrology & Hypertension (SLANH) is a regional nephrology society with 22 affiliated national societies and over 7000 affiliated and active members. It improves prevention, diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease by advancing education in Latin America.

This year, it has been dedicated to improving scholarship policy, Continuing Medical Education programs and increase contact with national societies. In February, during the SLANH Executive Committee and the presidents of national societies of nephrology meeting in Panama, the Istanbul Declaration on transplant tourism and organ trafficking was approved and signed by all present.

The SLANH Committee of Bone and Mineral Metabolism has developed a Continuing Medical Education Interactive Course aimed at Latin American nephrologists and entitled Bone and mineral metabolism in Chronic Kidney Disease. It is supported by an unrestricted grant from Abbott Laboratories. The first module is now accessible online.

ISN and SLANH have also now developed a partnership to express their mutual commitment to advancing nephrology in Latin America. They have established a joint ISN-SLANH Fellowship for young Latin American physicians training in nephrology in Latin America. This will be awarded over a 3 year period with one fellow in each year. Each society will provide 50% of the total amount of the stipend. Eligible fellows will train within Latin America Host Centers.

Find out more about the 2010 SLANH activities in the new SLANH website.