History of Latin American Dermatology

ELBIO FLORES-CEVALLOS, LUIS FLORES-CEVALLOS, ZUÑO BURSTEINand practical courses with international guest experts, video-conferences, symposia andspecialization courses in dermatology with national and foreign professors.The Circle has also, for the last ten years, been conducting an important annual community-orientedoutreach activity called “Mole Day.” This is a nationwide campaign forthe education, prevention and early diagnosis of skin cancer and melanoma. The Ministryof Health has given this activity official status, and it is backed by the medical servicesof Social Security and the Health Departments of the Armed Forces and the Police,as well as local governments. The activity also receives financial support from pharmaceuticallaboratories that are conscious of this issue.CIDERM-PERU participates institutionally in the congresses and activities of theIbero-Latin American College of Dermatology (CILAD) and in the Annual Meeting of LatinAmerican Dermatologists (RADLA). The national delegates to this meeting are membersof the Circle’s Board of Directors.For the first time in the history of the RADLA, the thirteenth meeting successfully tookplace in Lima on May 1 through 4, 2004, under the executive presidency of Dr. FernandoMagill, CIDERM-PERU official and national delegate to the CILAD. Dr. Zuño Burstein wasnamed Honorary President of the meeting.CIDERM-PERU issues the Peruvian Dermatological Folio, which is its official scientificpublication, and has regional sub-delegations in the North and South of the country.History of dermatological scientific publications in PeruWe shall mention some of the earliest dermatological publications as precedents forthe current ones.In 1953, Dr. Luis Flores-Cevallos published the First Bulletin of the Chair of Dermatologyand Syphilography, which presented the monthly clinical-pathological cases of theChairs of Dermatology and Pathological Anatomy at the St. Ferdinand Medical School ofthe National Higher University of St. Mark.Juan Manrique Ávila, President of the PSD, published the first issue of the Revista dela Sociedad Peruana de Dermatología, with original works and various scientific activitiesof the PSD; the journal, which was distributed nation-wide and abroad, continued tobe issued regularly up to December 1971.Dr. Luis Flores Cevallos published the Annals of the First Dermatology Session, whichtook place in the city of Arequipa, in a special issue of the journal of the Peruvian Societyof Dermatology (1970). In 1971, in another special issue, he published the Annals ofthe First International Dermatology Course and the Annals of the First PeruvianCongress of Dermatology.REVISTA DE LA SOCIEDAD PERUANA DE DERMATOLOGÍA Y DERMATOLOGÍA PERUANAThe Revista de la Sociedad Peruana de Dermatología, the official publication of theSociety, was founded in 1965, during the presidency of Dr. Juan Manrique. It was at firstpublished twice yearly, and was distributed free to member dermatologists and to nationaland international institutions (libraries).The journal appeared regularly until 1971. Twenty-five years later, under the presidencyof Dr. Luis Valdivia Blondet’s Board of Directors, its publication was resumedunder the title Dermatología Peruana (late 1996). The aim was to make scientific works,professional experiences and the latest updates in the specialized field once again availableto all Peruvian dermatologists and the medical community in general. The journalis currently published in an annual volume which is divided into three issues. It is indexedat LILACS, LIPECS and has record number ISSN1028-7175; its current editor is Dr.Arturo Saetone.314