Neurosurgery Announces Global Neurosurgery ‘Moon Shot’

What: Despite rapid advancements in neurosurgical techniques and capabilities, much of the world’s population has limited or no access to modern care for brain and spinal trauma, stroke, tumors, and other neurological conditions. Toward remedying this inequity, the Editors of Neurosurgery have introduced a new section devoted to Global Neurosurgery, defined as “the clinical and public health practice of neurosurgery with the primary purpose of ensuring timely, safe and affordable neurosurgical care to all who need it.”

Comprising noted experts from “every continent and generation where neurosurgery is practiced,” the Global Neurosurgery Editorial Committee is already working to attract the highest-quality global neurosurgery manuscripts, emphasizing policies to assure equity in authorship, access, and use of local data.

Committee lead Gail Rosseau, MD, likens the Global Neurosurgery initiative to President John F. Kennedy’s commitment to land American astronauts on the moon. Dr. Rosseau writes, “No specialty and no nation which expects to be a leader can expect to stay behind in the quest for highest quality health care for all people.”

Importance: The new section represents the first time a major journal has taken such a deliberate step to address Global Neurosurgery, according to Dr. Rosseau. She writes, “Our obligations to ourselves and others require us to make this effort, to respond to these challenges and to solve problems of access and quality on a global scale. “

Timing:  October 2022     

Link: https://journals.lww.com/neurosurgery/Fulltext/2022/10000/Global_Neurosurgery_Section.2.aspx

Point of Contact:

Gail Rosseau, MD, Department of Neurosurgery, The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC

Background:     Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons, publishes top research on clinical and experimental neurosurgery covering the latest developments in science, technology, and medicine. The journal attracts contributions from the most respected authorities in the field. It includes a wealth of information applicable to researchers and practicing neurosurgeons.