IPOS News

2019 IPOS Academy in Maputo, Mozambique

Overall Goal: To train attendees on best-practices around communication in African oncology settings

IPOS has developed, in close partnership with our colleagues in Africa and in collaboration with AORTIC, an Academy on the theme of Optimizing Communication in African Oncology Settings. The goal of this Academy is to train attendees on evidence-based practices around communication to reduce suffering and social stigma as main barriers to early detection and treatment of cancer in African oncology settings. The Academy will use a combination of didactic seminars, hands-on training exercises, and roundtable discussions, in which participants will be encouraged to discuss knowledge translation as it relates to public policy, research, clinical, and training, as well as outline needs for collaboration in these areas (see preliminary program attached).

We are accepting applications from health care professionals working in direct contact with cancer patients in Mozambique and in neighbouring countries, to attend the 2019 IPOS Academy in Maputo, Mozambique. Fees for the Academy will be waived, and applications will be accepted on a first come first serve basis. Kindly send your CV to [email protected], accompanied by a completed and signed checklist.

Our Organization:

IPOS is the sole multidisciplinary international charitable organization devoted to psycho-oncology, leading in education, research, training, public policy, and advocacy. In 2014, IPOS celebrated its 30th anniversary and began a partnership with the World Health Organization. Part of our mandate is to build capacity for cancer care in low- and low-middle income countries including in Africa. IPOS includes 100+ member countries from 6 continents.

Full eligibility criteria for the application (please note that all criteria must be met):

• Be a professional working in direct contact with cancer patients in Africa;
• Conduct clinical work in a field appropriate to the field of psycho-oncology (e.g., physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapist);
• Be fluent in oral English. The Academy will be conducted in English;
• Be eligible to obtain a Visa from Mozambique if a Visa is required;
• Commit to attend the two-day Academy on November 3-4, 2019;
• Commit to sharing the knowledge learned through the Academy to professionals in your city and country in Africa;
• Commit to arrange and pay for your own travel and accommodation;
• Assume responsibility for your safety and physical health during your travels to and from the Academy as well as during the Academy.

HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION?

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the application is complete. Incomplete applications or handwritten applications will be automatically withdrawn from the contest without notice. Applications will only be accepted if they are received at your earliest convenience before September 20, 2019 to the following e-mail address: [email protected]. Applications must include the checklist and a five-page Curriculum Vitae for the applicant.

IPOS Academy – Maputo, Mozambique

IPOS holds non-state actor status with the World Health Organization (WHO)

Theme: Optimizing Doctor-Patient Communication in African Oncology Settings

Overall Goal: Train attendees on evidence-based practices around communication to reduce suffering and social stigma as main barriers to early detection and treatment of cancer in African oncology settings.

Methods: The Academy will use a combination of didactic seminars and roundtable discussions, in which participants will be encouraged to discuss knowledge translation of communication skills as it relates to public policy, research, clinical, and training, as well as outline needs for collaboration in these areas.

Day 1:

Opening Comments from Co-Chairs Dr. Melissa Henry and Dr. Chioma Asuzu and distinguished representatives

Importance of communication and screening for distress

• a.     Improving cancer outcomes in Africa through communication skills and strategies (Dr. Chioma Asuzu)
• b.     Screening for distress as an essential tool to communication (Drs. Melissa Henry)
• c.     Review of conceptual models of doctor-patient communication and the shared-decision making model (Dr. Elizabeth Akin-Odanye, Nigeria; Dr. Joyce Terwase, Nigeria)

Barriers around communicating bad news to patients and families in African oncology settings: Results of a World Café and pan-African survey indicating similarities with barriers to prevention and the need for concerted strategic planning (Dr. Melissa Henry, Montreal, Canada; Dr. David Lounsbury, New York, USA)

Morning Break

A family-systems approach to communication and how to communicate with children in an age-appropriate way (Dr. Chioma Asuzu, Nigeria; Dr. Luzia Travado, Lisbon, Portugal)

The importance of family-centered communication in the context of African medical oncology practice: A palliative care physician’s perspective (Dr. Christian Ntizimira, Kigali, Rwanda)

LUNCH

Evidenced-based strategies to address beliefs/stigma: A literature review and model

Round table discussion – World Café discussion on addressing knowledge, beliefs, and stigma to reduce delayed presentation and treatment onset in Africa. Goal: Initiate a discussion on structural and public health changes required in Africa and the role of IPOS and Association of Psycho-Oncology in Africa (APOA) (Drs. Scott and Sharon Nichols, California, USA; Phillip Odiyo, Kenya; Dr. Chioma Asuzu, Nigeria; Dr. Melissa Henry, Canada).

Closing remarks for Day 1

Day 2: Doctor-Patient Communication Skills Training Day – featuring Dr. Patricia Parker and Dr. Smita Banerjee, Communication Skills Training and Research Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York; and Dr. Luzia Travado, Champalimaud Clinical Center, Lisbon, Portugal

Overview: 

Effective communication is essential for the optimal delivery of healthcare services. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has developed an evidence-based, robust program in communication skills training with a mission “to work in partnership with clinicians of all disciplines to improve communication with cancer patients and their families, and thus enhance overall adaptation to the illness.” The overall objective of the Communication Skills Training and Research Laboratory is to develop, evaluate and disseminate communication skills interventions (The Comskil Training Program) for health care professionals and patients to communicate more effectively. The Comskil Training Program provides a unique training opportunity with a dedicated staff of communication skills facilitators, standardized patient actors, and customized laboratory space including training rooms equipped with video recording and playback equipment. Training modules have been developed to address high priority communication challenges in the oncology setting such as Shared Decision Making, Introducing Palliative Care, and Discussing End-of-Life Goals of Care. The training program relies on a multidisciplinary approach to the delivery of communication skills training, with more than 90 trained facilitators at the institution. The Comskil Training Program is taught to oncology attending physicians, fellows, residents, nurses and nurse practitioners. Since the inception of the Comskil training program in 2005, more than 4,000 oncology health care providers have participated in this program.  

Opening Comments from Co-Chairs Dr. Melissa Henry and Dr. Chioma Asuzu

Introduction to the Comskil Conceptual Model 

Shared Decision Making (SDM) Didactic 

SDM Fishbowl/Role Play 

Break 

Responding to Patient Anger Didactic 

Lunch 

Responding to Patient Anger Fishbowl/Role Play 

Break 

Discussing Death, Dying and End of Life Goals of Care Didactic – In Africa 80% of cancers are diagnosed in advanced stage

Discussing Death, Dying and End of Life Goals of Care Fishbowl/Role Play 

Debrief and Discussion. 

Closing remarks for Day 2 (speaker)

Interprofessional Education in Palliative and End of Life Care-Oncology and Sexual Health in Cancer Part 1 (IPODE) Online Courses

For a decade now, de Souza Institute has been offering continuing professional development courses to healthcare professionals, to enhance their knowledge and competency and give them tools to provide the best possible cancer and/or palliative care. With online course offerings, participants can start at any time, from anywhere! Join over 15,000 healthcare professionals who have learned with de Souza.
 
IPOS Members receive 10% off until August 19 on the below course with coupon code. Please email the IPOS office to request the coupon code.
 
“As it is crucial to quality palliative care, we have integrated core psychosocial care competencies throughout all the curriculum“ – Dr. Mary Jane Esplen, Executive Director de Souza Institute, Professor, Dept of Psychiatry, U of Toronto
 
The Interprofessional Education in Palliative and End of Life Care-Oncology (iEPEC-O) online course is based on the internationally recognized EPEC^TM-O curriculum developed by a team of clinicians at Northwestern University in partnership with the National Cancer Institute in USA. Supported by de Souza Institute, the content is updated by a team of palliative care experts in Canada. This course is self-directed and covers a comprehensive curriculum in palliative and end-of-life care topics, including core competencies in symptom management, ethical issues, communication skills, bereavement and psychosocial care. Interactive activities and case studies are used to highlight clinical applications. The iEPEC-O course offers 13.0 CME learning hours.
 
Visit the iEPEC-O course webpage for additional details, including accreditation information.
Sexual concerns are one of the most common cancer survivorship issues, yet they are the least likely to be discussed. Learn skills in assessment and counseling for common sexual health issues in cancer care. Register for the Sexual Health in Cancer online course, offered in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology. Enroll by August 19, course starts on September 3.
 
Visit the Sexual Health in Cancer course webpage for additional details, including online classroom dates.

The OFFICIAL IPOS Journal
July 2019 – Volume 1 – Issue 1
Editor-in-Chief: Dr Linda E. Carlson and Dr Brian Kelly
View the latest issue by going to https://journals.lww.com/jporp/pages/default.aspx

To learn more about the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice, please visit About the Journal - https://www.editorialmanager.com/jporp/default.aspx

The Journal is open for submissions; please click here to submit your paper - https://www.editorialmanager.com/jporp/default.aspx

To learn more about submitting articles, please visit the Instructions to Authors - http://edmgr.ovid.com/jporp/accounts/ifauth.htm

The APCs for Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research and Practice are $1,000 USD ($800 for current IPOS members) for Tier 1 manuscripts (original articles, reviews, and guidelines) and $500 USD ($400 for current IPOS members) for Tier 2 papers (Case Reports, Editorials, and Letters to the Editor). Discounted APCs are available for members of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) where both the first and last authors are verified members at the time of submission.

Dr. David Lounsbury (co-PI, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, USA) and Dr. Melissa Henry (co-PI, McGill University's Faculty of Medicine) along with other investigators (Ali Alias, Dr. David Kissane, Dr. Scott Nichols, Philip Odiyo, Dr. Vince Okungu, Dr. Patricia Parker, Dr. Chioma Asuzu, and Dr. Maggie Watson) are conducting a survey to learn about current programs, practices and policies regarding breaking serious news in Africa including delivery of a cancer diagnosis. This study is conducted in collaboration with the African Organization for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC) and the Association for Psycho-Oncology in Africa (APOA). 

You are being invited to participate in this brief on-line (digital) 15-minutes survey if you are a physician or nurse delivering care to cancer patients in an African hospital or clinic. Your participation will help inform guidelines on how to improve delivering a cancer diagnosis and other serious news to patients and family members in Africa.

You will find the 15-minute survey on the following website: https://redcap.ric.einstein.yu.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=H8JYLA3PX9

We thank you for your valuable collaboration! Apart from completing the questionnaire, we ask that you forward it to all of your colleagues physicians and nurses working in oncology in Africa so we can get a representative sample of respondents.

The Armenian Psycho-Oncology Association, with the support of Open Society Foundations-Armenia, organized a two-day interdisciplinary conference “Pain Management In Palliative Care: Applying Sector Reforms in Armenia” on June 7-8, 2019. The conference was organized with the co-sponsorship of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS)  and Worldwide Hospice and Palliative Care Alliance and holds the status of the first IPOS Academy in Armenia. #iposinarmenia

Day 1 of the Conference on Pain Management in Palliative Care - Applying Sector Reforms in Armenia, in Yerevan, Armenia. The Head of the MoH Healthcare Policy Department presents a firm commitment to expand palliative care in the region. Dr. Melissa Henry presented research data supporting the integration of psycho-oncology and multidisciplinary care in addressing pain along the continuum of cancer care.

Day 2 of the conference in Yerevan, Armenia, dedicated to an IPOS Training Academy on Motivational Interviewing to build a solid therapeutic alliance and overcome resistance in oncology. A special thanks to Dr. Rachel Green for her inspiring seminar, it was great to Chair this with you! May we strive to build a better healthcare for all. #iposinArmenia

Thank you for all your support in helping IPOS grow to record level of members around the world AGAIN! We continually look for new and innovative ways to add member value, and appreciate the ideas and suggestions submitted to us. We are listening! Continue to submit your suggestions to [email protected].

We now have had members in exactly 99 countries around the world and are now working to serve almost 600 members internationally. If you are not already, you can still be part of our networking for 2019. Find out more by going to https://ipos-society.org/Membership

THANK YOU!

The Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO) and the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) are pleased to receive the support of Bell Let’s Talk for this year’s 21^st annual World Congress of Psycho-Oncology. The Congress will take place this year in Banff, Alberta from September 23-26. The theme for the Congress is A Global Call for Action: Implementing Psychosocial Oncology Research for Optimal Cancer Care.

As Visionary Sponsor, Bell Let’s Talk is supporting more than 800 international health care leaders, scientists and researchers from over 60 countries who will be gathering to share and learn how to help cancer patients and their families cope with the devastating emotional and mental health impact of the disease.

“We are very excited to have Bell Let’s Talk join us this year in support of our World Congress,” said Dr. Fiona Schulte, President and Co-Chair of the IPOS World Congress and President, Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology (CAPO). “The impact of their support will resound globally with the community of leading oncologists who will be engaging with patients, care-givers and family members through their cancer journeys.”

Cancer is the second leading cause of death internationally. In 2018 alone, there were more than 18 million new cases, with just over a 50 per cent survival rate. Cancer impacts everyone – from patients, to friends, to loved ones.

The World Congress will bring together an international community of health care leaders, scientists and researchers who will take their knowledge back to improve patient and family care. This forum encourages new global partnerships and allows for the dissemination of ground-breaking research to professionals and the general public about psycho-oncology that will transform the cancer experience and improve the quality of life for millions of people globally.

Since 2010, the Bell Let’s Talk mental health initiative has been leading a conversation about the impact of mental illness and the stigma that surrounds it, while also funding programs focused on 4 mental health action pillars: anti-stigma, care and access, new research and workplace leadership. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

For more information on the World Congress, please visit: https://ipos2019.com/

Overall Goal: To train attendees on best-practices around communication in African oncology settings

IPOS has developed, in close partnership with our colleagues in Africa and in collaboration with AORTIC, an Academy on the theme of Optimizing Communication in African Oncology Settings. The goal of this Academy is to train attendees on evidence-based practices around communication to reduce suffering and social stigma as main barriers to early detection and treatment of cancer in African oncology settings. The Academy will use a combination of didactic seminars and roundtable discussions, in which participants will be encouraged to discuss knowledge translation as it relates to public policy, research, clinical, and training, as well as outline needs for collaboration in these areas (see preliminary program below).

Scholarships will be provided to key health care professionals working in direct contact with cancer patients in Africa, to attend the 2019 IPOS Academy in Maputo, Mozambique. The number of scholarships will depend on funding. Scholarships will cover costs of training, flight, hotel, and meals up to a certain amount. Kindly complete the scholarship application, which will be peer-reviewed.

Our Organization:

IPOS is the sole multidisciplinary international charitable organization devoted to psycho-oncology, leading in education, research, training, public policy, and advocacy. In 2014, IPOS celebrated its 30th anniversary and began a partnership with the World Health Organization. Part of our mandate is to build capacity for cancer care in low- and low-middle income countries including in Africa. IPOS includes 75+ member countries from 6 continents.

Full eligibility criteria for the Travel Scholarship application (please note that all criteria must be met):

• Be a professional working in direct contact with cancer patients in Africa;
• Conduct clinical work in a field appropriate to the field of psycho-oncology (e.g., physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapist);
• Be fluent in oral English. Note: According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “when a person is fluent, they can speak a language easily, well, and quickly.”
• Be eligible to obtain a Visa from Mozambique if a Visa is required.
• Commit to attend the two-day Academy on November 3-4, 2019 if selected to obtain a Scholarship;
• Commit to sharing the knowledge learned through the Academy to professionals in your city and country in Africa;
• Willing to share a hotel room in double occupancy during the Academy (with same sex pairing);
• Assume responsibility for your safety and physical health during your travels to and from the Academy as well as during the Academy;
• Should you receive a scholarship you will be asked to arrange your own travel to Maputo and will have expenses for meals, for which you will subsequently be reimbursed up to a certain predetermined amount upon presentation of detailed and itemized receipts. Hotel arrangements will be provided by IPOS and cannot be changed. As per previous IPOS Academies, it may take several weeks before you will be able to be reimbursed for expenses and reimbursement will only be allowed for certain items and for a maximum allocated per item.

Note: It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure the application is complete. Incomplete applications or handwritten applications will be automatically withdrawn from the contest without notice. Applications will only be accepted if they are received at your earliest convenience before June 28, 2019 to the following email address: [email protected]. Applications must include the fully completed Application Form including the checklist and a five-page Curriculum Vitae for the applicant.

Note: Please send any questions you may have about this call for applications to the following email address: [email protected]. IPOS will only be able to answer any questions related to this call for applications from June 3, 2018 to June 14, 2019, after which IPOS will no longer be able to answer. After the June 28, 2019 deadline, the only correspondence the applicants will receive is the result of the competition. Participants should anticipate receiving the results by the first week of August. If you have not received a response, please check the IPOS website to know if there has been a delay in the processing of the applications. If you have not received a letter of offer by the first week of August, unless otherwise indicated on the IPOS website, it means that you were not selected for the scholarship.

HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION?

When saving your complete application, please save it with your country and complete name including your last name and surname separated by underscore. For example: Nigeria_Henry_Ann.

Please email your Scholarship Application Form completed via computer or typewriter, including the check list below, and a current copy of your Curriculum Vitae (CV) in English no later than June 28, 2019 to the following email: [email protected]. PLEASE NOTE THAT APPLICATIONS WITHOUT A 5-PAGE CV WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

All applications must include a fully completed and signed Applicant Waiver Form. Incomplete waiver forms will result in your applicant being rejected.

IPOS Academy – Maputo, Mozambique

IPOS holds non-state actor status with the World Health Organization (WHO)

Theme: Optimizing Doctor-Patient Communication in African Oncology Settings

Overall Goal: Train attendees on evidence-based practices around communication to reduce suffering and social stigma as main barriers to early detection and treatment of cancer in African oncology settings.

Methods: The Academy will use a combination of didactic seminars and roundtable discussions, in which participants will be encouraged to discuss knowledge translation of communication skills as it relates to public policy, research, clinical, and training, as well as outline needs for collaboration in these areas.

Day 1:

Opening Comments from Co-Chairs Dr. Melissa Henry and Dr. Chioma Asuzu and distinguished representatives

Importance of communication and screening for distress

• a.     Improving cancer outcomes in Africa through communication skills and strategies (Dr. Chioma Asuzu)
• b.     Screening for distress as an essential tool to communication (Drs. Melissa Henry)
• c.     Review of conceptual models of doctor-patient communication and the shared-decision making model (Dr. Elizabeth Akin-Odanye, Nigeria; Dr. Joyce Terwase, Nigeria)

Barriers around communicating bad news to patients and families in African oncology settings: Results of a World Café and pan-African survey indicating similarities with barriers to prevention and the need for concerted strategic planning (Dr. Melissa Henry, Montreal, Canada; Dr. David Lounsbury, New York, USA)

Morning Break

A family-systems approach to communication and how to communicate with children in an age-appropriate way (Dr. Chioma Asuzu, Nigeria; Dr. Luzia Travado, Lisbon, Portugal)

The importance of family-centered communication in the context of African medical oncology practice: A palliative care physician’s perspective (Dr. Christian Ntizimira, Kigali, Rwanda)

LUNCH

Evidenced-based strategies to address beliefs/stigma: A literature review and model

Round table discussion – World Café discussion on addressing knowledge, beliefs, and stigma to reduce delayed presentation and treatment onset in Africa. Goal: Initiate a discussion on structural and public health changes required in Africa and the role of IPOS and Association of Psycho-Oncology in Africa (APOA) (Drs. Scott and Sharon Nichols, California, USA; Phillip Odiyo, Kenya; Dr. Chioma Asuzu, Nigeria; Dr. Melissa Henry, Canada).

Closing remarks for Day 1

Day 2: Doctor-Patient Communication Skills Training Day – featuring Dr. Patricia Parker and Dr. Smita Banerjee, Communication Skills Training and Research Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering, New York; and Dr. Luzia Travado, Champalimaud Clinical Center, Lisbon, Portugal

Overview: 

Effective communication is essential for the optimal delivery of healthcare services. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center has developed an evidence-based, robust program in communication skills training with a mission “to work in partnership with clinicians of all disciplines to improve communication with cancer patients and their families, and thus enhance overall adaptation to the illness.” The overall objective of the Communication Skills Training and Research Laboratory is to develop, evaluate and disseminate communication skills interventions (The Comskil Training Program) for health care professionals and patients to communicate more effectively. The Comskil Training Program provides a unique training opportunity with a dedicated staff of communication skills facilitators, standardized patient actors, and customized laboratory space including training rooms equipped with video recording and playback equipment. Training modules have been developed to address high priority communication challenges in the oncology setting such as Shared Decision Making, Introducing Palliative Care, and Discussing End-of-Life Goals of Care. The training program relies on a multidisciplinary approach to the delivery of communication skills training, with more than 90 trained facilitators at the institution. The Comskil Training Program is taught to oncology attending physicians, fellows, residents, nurses and nurse practitioners. Since the inception of the Comskil training program in 2005, more than 4,000 oncology health care providers have participated in this program.  

Opening Comments from Co-Chairs Dr. Melissa Henry and Dr. Chioma Asuzu

Introduction to the Comskil Conceptual Model 

Shared Decision Making (SDM) Didactic 

SDM Fishbowl/Role Play 

Break 

Responding to Patient Anger Didactic 

Lunch 

Responding to Patient Anger Fishbowl/Role Play 

Break 

Discussing Death, Dying and End of Life Goals of Care Didactic – In Africa 80% of cancers are diagnosed in advanced stage

Discussing Death, Dying and End of Life Goals of Care Fishbowl/Role Play 

Debrief and Discussion. 

Closing remarks for Day 2 (speaker)

New IPOS Website✕

We upgraded our website & members area. More info for members:

Read update for members →

The first IPOS Academy in Armenia!

Considerable progress has been made in the field of palliative care (PC) in Armenia in the last eight years. However, a number of problems remain unresolved. Policy work has included the implementation of national needs assessment and the approval of the National Concept on PC. PC has been included in the list of specialized medical aid and services, national standards have been introduced and the social assistance package has been approved. In addition, the Government of Armenia has approved the National Strategy on Palliative Care for Adults and the 2017-2019 Action Plan. Extensive efforts have been carried out to make pain medication available. In November 2017, the government removed the difficult procedures hindering access to opioid pain medications and new regulations in pain management were approved.

With new regulations, new approaches are needed in practice. To address this need, the Armenian Psycho-Oncology Association, with the support of Open Society Foundations-Armenia, is organizing the two-day interdisciplinary conference “Pain Management In Palliative Care: Applying Sector Reforms in Armenia” on June 7-8, 2019.

The conference will aim to enhance awareness and capacity in pain management among medical and psychosocial staff, civil society organizations, government representatives and the general public. The conference program will place great emphasis on mental health and its role in the process of pain management. For the first time in Armenia, the method of the Motivational Interviewing will be presented during the conference in the framework of a full-day workshop provided by Dr. Rachel Green (Vice-President, AFDEM (l'Association francophone de la diffusion de l'entretien motivationnel)) and Dr. Melissa Henry (Assistant Professor, McGill University, Director, Psychosocial Oncology Research Group Jewish General Hospital.).  

The conference is organized with the co-sponsorship of the International Psycho-Oncology Society and Worldwide Hospice and Palliative Care Alliance and holds the status of the first IPOS Academy in Armenia.

For more information please visit www.apoa.am

The Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice (JPORP) became the official journal of the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS) earlier this year. Published by Wolters Kluwer, this open access journal focuses on the growing body of research in the field of psychosocial oncology. The journal will be publishing articles reporting on clinical research examining psychosocial and behavioral interventions in oncology settings, research on the implementation of psychosocial and behavioral interventions in routine clinical practice and their impact on outcomes, with a focus on global psycho-oncology.

With the launch of JPORP (which will publish its first issue in July 2019), IPOS has ended its relationship with Wiley, the publisher of the Psycho Oncology Journal (PONJ). IPOS is appreciative of the work done by Wiley and the Editorial Board in publishing Psycho Oncology.

The move to an open access journal format is relevant, timely and responsive to the global needs of the membership. In examining journal platforms and partners, the Board carefully considered the needs of our growing membership, which is now at an all-time record high with members from more than 75 countries.
 
There has been a global move towards open science to address lack of accessibility, which disproportionally affects users in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Traditionally published papers are only accessible to those with access to academic institutional or individual subscriptions. This typically leaves academics in LMICs and other stakeholders such as patients and caregivers, policy makers, NGOs and advocacy organizations without access to over 75% of the academic literature. Recognizing the need for better publication models, open-access publishing has gained acceptance and momentum. Many funding agencies world-wide, mainstream respected publishers and journals are offering open access and researchers are benefiting from increased rates of downloads and citations for their work. The one major downside to open access publishing for researchers are Article Processing Charges (APCs) that authors must pay at the time of publication to support open access.
 
With that in mind, working with Wolters Kluwer, IPOS sought to address barriers associated with APCs.  JPORP is an online-only journal so we do not have extra production costs associated with printing and distribution, so our APCs are much lower than those of print journals. For example, APCs for traditional print journals (when an open access option exists) are usually in the $3,000-5,000 USD range. This amount can be prohibitive for many authors. Our charges will range from $400-$1,000 USD, depending on the type of article, with further discounted rates for IPOS members.
 
Additionally, IPOS has built discretion into the agreement with our publisher, such that we have the opportunity to waive APCs for special papers; for example: IPOS commissioned works such as summary papers from Award winners’, plenary talks at the World Congress and position papers from IPOS committees or special interest groups. We have also set aside APC waivers for the first 12 unsolicited papers to be accepted in the new journal, of which several still remain. We believe these provisions will decrease barriers to publication associated with APCs and will improve the reach and influence of the work we publish.

Our co-editors Dr. Linda Carlson and Dr. Brian Kelly have been working diligently since January with our associate editors Dr. Bill Breitbart (US), Dr. Gail Garvey (AU), Dr. Nick Hulbert-Williams (UK), Dr. Yosuke Uchitomi (JP) and Dr. Claire Wakefield (AU), all who are looking forward to the first issue of the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice (JPORP) this July.

To learn more about the Journal of Psychosocial Oncology Research & Practice, please visit About the Journal. The Journal is open for submissions; please click here to submit your paper. To learn more about submitting articles, please visit the Instructions to Authors.