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ISSM & Movember Partnership

Background of the ISSM & Movember Partnership

The collaboration between the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) and Movember stems from a shared commitment to addressing the often-overlooked sexual health challenges faced by prostate cancer survivors. While advances in oncology have improved survival rates, post-treatment complications, particularly sexual dysfunction, remain a significant concern. Recognizing this critical gap, ISSM and Movember have partnered to disseminate the Guidelines for Sexual Health Care for the Prostate Cancer Patient .

This collaboration brings together ISSM’s expertise in sexual medicine and Movember’s global influence in men’s health to create a comprehensive framework that empowers healthcare providers with the knowledge and tools necessary to integrate sexual health care into oncology settings. Movember funded the development of these guidelines to standardize care and improve patient outcomes, ensuring that sexual health is recognized as an essential part of survivorship care.

Click here for the Guidelines
Addressing Barriers to Implementation

Creating guidelines is only the first step; ensuring their integration into clinical practice is crucial for making a tangible impact on patient care. Research shows that guideline implementation often faces significant delays due to barriers in clinician adoption. To address this challenge, ISSM and Movember have joined forces to develop targeted initiatives that facilitate the practical application of the guidelines.

During a convening in London, stakeholders identified Recommendation #1 as a foundational standard for improving patient outcomes by initiating clinician-patient discussions on the sexual side effects of prostate cancer treatment. Recommendation #1 states:

“A clinician-initiated discussion should be conducted with the patient and the partner (if partnered and culturally appropriate), to educate them about realistic expectations of the impact of prostate cancer therapy on the patient’s sexual function, the partner’s sexual experience, and the couples’ sexual relationship. The clinician should promote openness and inclusivity, consider cultural context, and tailor counseling to the specific needs of patients who are heterosexual, gay, bisexual, or identify as men who have sex with men, and of transgender women and gender non-conforming patients.”

By promoting this recommendation, ISSM and Movember aim to establish a new standard of care, ensuring that conversations about sexual health become a routine part of oncology discussions.

A Global Dissemination Strategy

To ensure widespread adoption of the guidelines, ISSM and Movember have launched a multi-faceted dissemination project, including:

  • Q&A videos addressing key concerns about sexual health in prostate cancer care.
  • Educational webinars to provide clinicians with practical strategies for implementation.
  • A clinician toolkit to support guideline adoption in diverse healthcare settings.
  • Sessions and workshops at major conferences worldwide to reach healthcare professionals on a global scale.

By targeting key countries and healthcare systems, this initiative aims to integrate the guidelines into routine clinical practice, ensuring that prostate cancer patients and their partners receive equitable access to sexual health support.

Commitment to Survivorship Care

Through this collaboration, ISSM and Movember strive to enhance the quality of life for prostate cancer survivors, emphasizing the importance of addressing sexual health as an integral component of survivorship care. By equipping clinicians with the necessary knowledge and resources, this partnership is working to break down barriers and improve sexual health outcomes for patients and their partners worldwide.