1. Activities of the International Danube Symposium (Szeged, Hungary)

The International Danube Symposium is operating under the roof of the European Federation of Neurological Sciences and welcomes all kinds of cooperation with the EFNS. Being a branch office for all Danube countries, the Danube Symposium has established a bureau in Szeged, Hungary, at the Department of Neurology. It is our main goal to assist the Vienna headquarters with local and administrative tasks, and to serve with all kinds of important information towards the colleagues in the Danube-countries involved in the field of neurology. Further priority is to assist colleagues in expanding their development of neurology and to facilitate stimulating discussions which are improving neurology, and also to enable the exchange of both traditional and new areas of teaching and research.

The Danube Symposium fosters fellowship programs for young neurologists (see Danube Neurology Fellowship).

The Danube Neurology Newsletter is posted to more than 600 addresses, and the electronic version is available free of charge on Internet as well. We also consider as our task to help with the

activity of the EFNS in the Danube-countries, therefore it is very important to strengthen our contact with the EFNS.

2. Danube Neurology Fellowship

Continuing the tradition of the Danube Neurology Fellowship, Dr. Ágnes Kiss (Institute of Neurology, University of Tirgu Mures, Rumania) spent 4 weeks at the Department of Neurology, University of Szeged in October 2001. We would like to enclose her report of this exchange program: “Being invited by Prof. Vécsei and the International Danube Symposium, I had the opportunity to participate in a four-week professional experience exchange program at the Neurological Clinic of the University of Szeged. It was very instructive for me to take part in the Morning Discussion, Radiological Meeting and the Afternoon Discussion. The exchange program was extremely useful and informative. It was particularly practical to see how such a modernly equipped laboratory as the Laboratory of CSF operates. I would primarily highlight the experience of getting acquainted with the diagnostic procedures and their clinical applications."

Again, a colleague from one of the Danube countries, Dr. Sharlota Mesaros (Institute of Neurology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade) is spending a period of 4-weeks at the Department of Neurology, University of Szeged from April 15, 2002. We would like to continue this kind of frutiful and successful collaboration, hoping also to find other institutions in the Danube countries to welcome colleagues wanting to widen their experience.

3. Ethics in Neurology (Special Interest Group on Ethics in Neurology)

The Special Interest Group in Neurology (SIG in Neurology) stated that ethical issues are becoming increasingly important. According to the Council of Europe and EU regulations, the Management Committee of EFNS endorsed the statement on Biomedical Research at its meeting on March 2, 2002. The president of the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA), Mrs. Mary G. Baker issued a similar comment on behalf of the alliance, and both statements were forwarded to the Bioethics Division of the Council of Europe. Mrs Baker also stressed the importance of involving patients and that “it is extremely important to include representatives of patient groups in the ethical review process of research on persons who are unable to give their consent” in order to keep confidence in the dialogue between science and society.

It is hoped that these developments and the suggestions will be incorporated into the final version of Biomedical Research Protocol, since scientific progress in all fields of medicine and biology prompts more and more regulations, especially on medical research.

We would like to draw the attention towards the 6th EFNS Congress (Vienna, October 26, 2002) -- SIG Ethics in Neurology with the following topics: “Ethical challenges of contemporary neurological research - a European perspective” and the Teaching Course in neuroethics - clinical trials. In the framework of the 7th EFNS Congress (Helsinki, October 2003) a scientific session and a teaching course on ethical issues will be held.

The SIG Ethics in Neurology invites all interested colleagues in these matters to contact them per e-mail, under the following addresses:

Professor Franz Gerstenbrand (chairman): headoffice@efns.org

Professor Baumgartner (secretary): holger.baumgartner@uibk.ac.at

4. Preliminary Timetable of the 34^th International Danube Symposium

(29-31 August 2002, Bratislava, Slovakia)

The 34^th International Danube Symposium for Neurological Sciences and Continuing Education will take place in Bratislava, Slovakia, between 29-31 August, 2002. Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee is Professor Pavel Traubner. Enclosed you find the preliminary programme and timetable of this symposium.

For further information about the symposium please contact:

4. PRELIMINARY TIMETABLE OF THE 34^TH INTERNATIONAL DANUBE SYMPOSIUM (29-31 AUGUST 2002, BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA)

4. PRELIMINARY TIMETABLE OF THE 34^TH INTERNATIONAL DANUBE SYMPOSIUM (29-31 AUGUST 2002, BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA)

5. Teaching activities of the SIG on Ethics in Neurology

A teaching course under the auspices of EFNS is planned to take place in Vitebsk/Belarus in June, 2002 with the the topic “Ethics of clinical trials in neurology”.

Another teaching session will take place at the 34^th International Danube Symposium in Bratislava in August, 2002. (see Preliminary Timetable above)

6. Future Meetings of Danube Symposium

As mentioned in our previous Newsletter, the surplus from local congresses and symposia will be split 70:30 between the local organizers and the permanent International Danube Symposium Secretariat, Szeged. This step is necessary in order to guarantee the work of our office.

8. Web-site of the International Danube Symposium

The home-page of the International Danube Symposium consists of:

the contents of Newsletter 1-2-3-4

Managing and Executive Board Members of DS

e-mail list of the participants of the Danube Symposia (available for us).

Visit our Web-site:

http://www.szote.u-szeged.hu/neur/danube