About SCOPE

The impetus for SCOPE came from an "Obesity Summit" of European Union health ministries in Copenhagen in September 2002, and the feedback from 24 countries through EASO's Management Task Force, which highlighted the need to improve the clinical management of obesity.

SCOPE was launched with IASO's European region in 2003 at the opening ceremony of the 12th European Congress on Obesity in 2003 and has been developed through two strands:

• Fellowship recognises experts in obesity management within Europe.

• Membership is the continuing medical education arm of SCOPE and recognises those clinicians who have sought to undertake continuing professional development in obesity management. Applicants must accrue a minimum of eight points from attendance at courses relevant to the clinical management of the obese patient which have been approved by SCOPE and successfully complete the SCOPE Online Course.

In 2004, the first SCOPE Fellows within Europe were announced at the 13th European Congress on Obesity and in 2005, SCOPE's accreditation scheme of continuing medical education events was implemented.

2006 saw the launch of the SCOPE Online Course during the 10th International Congress on Obesity.

SCOPE is currently operational only within IASO's European region. It is anticipated that the concept will be expanded to other IASO regions in 2007.

Within Europe, SCOPE is governed by the Obesity Management TaskForce of the European Association for the Study of Obesity (click here for details).