Stop the immediate cessation and elimination of Sexology Leiden University Medical Center

We

• Members of IASR 'International academy of sex research'
• Members of ESSM 'European society of sexual medicine' and
• Members of COST ESMN 'European sexual medicine network'
• Members of ISSM 'International society of sexual medicine'.

establish that:

• Know that the sexology outpatient clinic of Leiden University Medical Center is the largest outpatient clinic for sexology in the Netherlands (about 300 new referrals yearly) and one of the three academic centers of expertise in the Netherlands. This outpatient clinic has an enormous value and significance. For over 25 years, it has provided clinical care for men and women with sexual dysfunctions.
• The clinic has a strong and successful tradition in sexology research, with both clinical and experimental psychophysiological studies (supervised by Dr. Moniek ter Kuile and Dr. Stephanie Both). Staff members of this clinic are active in several important national and international sexology networks. They are on the boards of scientific international sexology journals.
• Moreover, the clinic offers sexology education for medical and clinical psychology students and postgraduate training for medical specialists, health psychologists, clinical psychologists and sexologists, as well as refresher courses and training for colleagues and medical specialists.
• This outpatient clinic has been an innovative excellence -driven forerunner in sexual medicine and has a word-wide reputation for excellence. The clinic is a role model for other European hospitals in the advancement of sexual health care.
• The research staff of the clinic has a worldwide reputation in their subject area and collaborate with several institutions, leading on a number of projects translating from initial studies in Netherlands to other international settings.

and request

We wish to stand up for the continued existence of the outpatient clinic Psychosomatic Gynecology and Sexology of the Leiden University Medical Center and it's research-group. Both are small diamonds in your Medical Center. The cessation of the Sexology Leiden University Medical Center would not only be a huge loss for the Leiden University Medical Center and its patients, students and researchers, etc. but also for the international scene of experts in the field. Therefore I deeply hope and I am also convinced, that the President of the Board of Directors of the Leiden University Medical Center also will stand up for your Outpatient Clinic Psychosomatic Gynecology and Sexology and its research group