SOCIETY HISTORY

In August 2004, the National Institutes of Health organized a ‘Workshop on Fetal Therapy’ to develop a plan for the maternal–fetal, surgical, and neonatal evaluation and treatment of pregnancies that might benefit from in-utero therapy. At the completion of the workshop several recommendations were made, foremost of which was the ‘formation of a cooperative group of clinical investigators to help set a national agenda for research and clinical progress in the field of fetal therapy’. Somewhat by coincidence, a multidisciplinary ‘Fetal Therapy Working Group’ that had been formed earlier in the year was well-positioned to accept this national mandate and proposed development of a North American Fetal Therapy Network (NAFTNet) to foster collaborative research between active fetal diagnosis and treatment centers in both the USA and Canada, develop a peer review mechanism for study proposals, explore ways to centralize data collection and study development, and establish an educational agenda for medical professionals and the public as well as training of future leaders in the field. NAFTNet represents a new paradigm and approach to international collaborative research. Early success has resulted in the recognition of the power of collaborative research efforts in studying rare congenital anomalies and intervention strategies to improve outcomes and survivals in such limited populations. By abandoning ‘competitive research’ for a cooperative, collaborative environment of research partnership, NAFTNet strives to be more responsible and effective in using limited resources and improving care for pregnancies and children born with congenital anomalies.

Founding Executive Committee

Below are headshots and names of the foundation NAFTNet Executive Committee. Click here to see a full depository.

Mark Johnson, MD Chair Obstetrics/Genetics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia	Robert Ball, MD Vice-Chair MFM, Univ. California San Francisco	Anthony Johnson, DO Secretary MFM/Genetics, Univ. N. Carolina Chapel Hill	Nancy Chescheir, MD Treasurer MFM, Vanderbilt University Medical Center	Christopher Harman, MD Steering Committee Chair MFM, Univ. Maryland
Michael Harrison MD, Pediatric Surgery Univ. California San Francisco	Kenneth Moise MD, MFM, Univ. N. Carolina Chapel Hill	N. Scott Adzick MD Pediatric Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia	William Walsh MD, Neonatology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center	Doug Wilson, MD MFM, Foothills Medical Centre