Goals

1. To foster and support research on thyroid molecular and cell biology, physiology, and diseases.
2. To disseminate new knowledge that leads to prevention, diagnosis,and treatment of thyroid diseases.
3. To support education of trainees, basic scientists, physicians, and other health care professionals concerned with investigating, diagnosing, and treating thyroid diseases.
4. To establish and guide public policies on the causes, diagnosis, and management of thyroid diseases and related disorders.
5. To be the advocate for thyroid specialists in the councils concerned with science, clinical medicine, and health care delivery.
6. To encourage broad-based support from industry and other parties to fulfill the Association’s scientific and educational missions.
7. To stimulate philanthropic giving to a fund that supports the Association’s activities.
8. To enlarge and diversify the Association’s membership
9. To develop, implement, and regularly review the Association’s long-term plan.
10. To foster contact, collegiality, and collaboration among members and within the international thyroid community.
11. To promote collaboration with thyroid societies in other regions of the world concerning public health and other scientific issues.

Description

The American Thyroid Association^® (ATA) is the leading worldwide organization dedicated to the advancement, understanding, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of thyroid disorders and thyroid cancer. ATA^® is an international membership medical society with over 1,700 members from 43 countries around the world. Celebrating its 95^th anniversary, the ATA^® delivers its mission — of being devoted to thyroid biology and to the prevention and treatment of thyroid disease through excellence in research, clinical care, education, and public health — through several key endeavors: the publication of highly regarded professional journals, Thyroid^®, Clinical Thyroidology^®, and VideoEndocrinology^™; annual scientific meetings; biennial clinical and research symposia; research grant programs for young investigators, support of online professional, public and patient educational programs; and the development of guidelines for clinical management of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. The ATA^® promotes thyroid awareness and information through its online Clinical Thyroidology^® for the Public (distributed free of charge to over 11,000 patients and public subscribers) and extensive, authoritative explanations of thyroid disease and thyroid cancer in both English and Spanish. The ATA^® website serves as the clinical resource for patients and the public who look for reliable information on the Internet.

Annual Meeting

The annual meeting, held every fall, brings together over 1,000 physicians and investigators from around the world to share the newest clinical and basic science research into thyroid disease. The meeting features posters, platform presentations, symposia, “meet the professor” lunches, discussion groups, and distinguished lectures. Awards are made to outstanding clinicians, academicians, young researchers, and dedicated Association members. Selected young investigators receive travel grants to attend the meeting. Exhibitors present related pharmaceutical, laboratory, diagnostic, publication, and organizational products and services. Every fifth year, the American Thyroid Association^® joins with the Latin American Thyroid Society, the European Thyroid Association, and the Asia Oceania Thyroid Association for an International Thyroid Congress.

Professional Guidelines

The American Thyroid Association^® develops Clinical Practice Guidelines to provide guidance and recommendations for particular practice areas concerning thyroid disease and thyroid cancer. Guidelines are revised every 3-5 years as new data is available.  Treatment decisions must be made based on the independent judgment of health care providers and each patient’s individual circumstances. Guideline development includes an identification of areas for future study and research, indicating the focus for future investigational therapy; based on the findings reviewed and synthesized from the latest literature.

Guiding Principles and Policies

Conflict of Interest and Code of Conduct Policy and Standards (PDF File, 121 Kb)

American Thyroid Association^® Corporate Relationships Guiding Principles (PDF File, 136 KB)

ATA^® Institutional Conflict of Interest Disclosure (PDF File, 66 KB)

Awards

Prestigious awards are made to clinicians, academicians, young researchers, and premier ATA members who have made outstanding contributions in thyroidology. The awards include the Lewis E. Braverman Distinguished Award Lectureship, Paul Starr Award, Sidney H. Ingbar Distinguished Lectureship, the Van Meter Award, the ATA Distinguished Service Award, and the John B. Stanbury Thyroid Pathophysiology Medal.

Join The ATA^®

We invite you to join the American Thyroid Association^® (ATA). The leading worldwide organization dedicated to the advancement, understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disorders and thyroid cancer, the ATA is an international individual membership organization with over 1,600 members from 43 countries around the world.

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