Sequoia at the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine

Hello everyone!

We have returned from our sixth conference in the past six months, and we have a lot to share with you.

As I mentioned before, this time we attended the International Consultation on Sexual Medicine (ICSM) in Madrid, organized by the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM).

Welcome sign at the ICSM entrance

The international sexological community is generally divided into international, global, European, Central Asian, Latin American, and American branches. Each holds its own events, but they all stay in close contact and attend each other's conferences.

This was the third sexology conference we attended. The first was in Dubai, and the second was in Bari.

This time, two of us went: myself and Sequoia's chief physician, Olga Nevdakh. Each of us had our own perspective on this conference, so I will share both of our impressions.

Olga's Review of the Conference

There were 27 presentations at the conference. The topics covered various aspects of male and female sexual health and related diseases.

I chose to attend the sessions on male health. We discussed in detail the issues with existing disease classifications. For example, there is still no clear agreement on what constitutes premature ejaculation. Or how to properly evaluate sexual dysfunction if a man has problems but does not suffer from them?

Olga Nevdakh at one of the sessions on male health

A rather rare topic was covered: the syndrome of the hard flaccid penis — when the penis is hard, but there is no or only partial erection. There were discussions about non-classical variants of Peyronie's disease, where the disease progresses too quickly or, conversely, too slowly.

We debated how to classify sexual dysfunctions related to psychosocial factors. I want to note that any, absolutely any factor can cause sexual dysfunction.

Finally, anxiety about the appearance of male genitalia was recognized as a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder. This is a global male complex that has found an official place in science. Men, your concerns about penis size can be easily addressed by a psychotherapist.

Main hall of the conference

Many presentations were dedicated to prostate cancer and associated sexual disorders. It is important to note that doctors from various fields should consider sexual function, as prostate cancer is a very traumatic disease for men, affecting not only physiology but also beliefs and values. Men should have realistic expectations about the temporary course of recovery or maintenance of erectile function after prostate cancer therapy.

My Review and Conclusions

What did I realize? Unfortunately, from the perspective of promoting a project, it is not enough to attend a conference once, charm everyone, and secure partnerships. At first, you just get acquainted. The second time, they recognize you. The third time, they start taking you more seriously.

This time, it helped us significantly that we had a booth. ICSM President Hossein Sadeghi-Nejad mentioned us in his welcome speech during the conference opening. This greatly increased our reach, sparked interest among many people, and changed some attitudes towards us.

Olga Nevdakh and Denis Galka with ICSM President Hossein Sadeghi-Nejad

In personal conversations, there was a different tone. For example, ESSM President Giovanni Corona invited us to the ESSM congress in Vienna and gave us his personal contacts. In contrast, the previous time, he told us to contact his secretary. Professor Emanuele Giannini from an Italian university approached our booth with his team and suggested a joint project. They conduct research, and Sequoia is an ideal platform for them to collect data. Also, for the first time, I met a representative from Movember at the conference. We have been trying to establish contact with them for a long time, and it seems we are finally succeeding.

Interest of ICSM participants in the Sequoia project

To summarize, tourists at such events are plentiful. To be noticed, you need to constantly attend conferences and contribute to the community. Only long and hard work bears fruit. Arriving at a foreign monastery and immediately taking the pedestal happens only in movies.

With respect and care for men's health,
Denis Galka, CEO Sequoia
Olga Nevdakh, CMO Sequoia