SECTION ONE <o:p></o:p>
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INTRODUCTION <o:p></o:p>
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By Shereen Ezzat, M.D.
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It is with pleasure that I would like to introduce you to the fourth edition of the Pituitary
Patient Resource Guide. Whether you are a new member or a veteran fan of the Pituitary Network
Association (PNA) I hope that you will agree with me that this is the best edition thus far.
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Finding quality information that can help a patient and his/her family understand the
nature of pituitary diseases in general and specific disorders in particular can be quite challenging.
This is the first step towards a healthy plan of coping with pituitary diseases. Knowing
the difference between what can be left behind and what you need to continue to be abreast
with is an essential part of managing your disease. This is precisely what the PNA team led by
Robert Knutzen has tried to do. They listen every day on the phone and read through internet
correspondence of first hand patient accounts from all over the world. Bob and his team have
become all too familiar with what information is available to patients out there. More than a
decade later they have become uniquely aware of patient needs. Importantly, the PNA has
become increasingly aware of world-wide deficiencies in patient information.
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This is where the fourth edition of the resource guide comes in. We have tried to solicit
top-notch contributors to help bridge the gap between the scientific medical literature and
overly simplified patient brochures. Virtually all contributions have been updated, new sections
added, and disease complications re-organized. Valuable patient accounts have been included
to help provide a real-world frame of reference.
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As always, we appreciate hearing from you. Let us know where we’ve hit the mark and
possibly more importantly where we can improve.
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With all best wishes.
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Shereen Ezzat, MD
Professor of Medicine
University of Toronto
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