Voting is open for the 2026 ISSM Board of Directors election.

CAST YOUR VOTE

All ISSM Full Members in good standing are invited to cast their votes electronically. Eligible voters are active 2026 members with no outstanding balance as of August 2, 2026.

This year, members will elect a President-Elect, Treasurer, and three Members-at-Large.

For President-Elect and Treasurer, one candidate has been nominated for each position. Members may support the candidate or submit a blank vote.

For the three Member-at-Large positions, five candidates are standing for election. Members may vote for up to three candidates and do not need to use all three votes.

The ballot includes candidates nominated by the ISSM Nominating Committee as well as candidates who qualified through the self-nomination process.

Voting is open until Monday, September 28, 2026, at 11:30 AM CEST / 09:30 UTC / 2:30 AM PDT, 90 minutes before the start of the ISSM Business Meeting.

Meet the candidates
Learn more about the candidates standing for election, including their backgrounds and candidate information, on the ISSM Board of Directors Election 2026 page.

VIEW THE CANDIDATES

Election results
The elected candidates will be announced during the ISSM Annual Business Meeting, taking place virtually via Zoom on Monday, September 28, 2026, at 11:00 UTC / 4:00 AM PDT view in your time zone.

The agenda and related documents are available in the members-only section of the ISSM website (login required).

Make sure to register for the ISSM Business Meeting to hear the election results.

For any further information or questions, please contact the ISSM Executive Office by phone at +31 75 647 63 72 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

CAST YOUR VOTE

ISSM is inviting members to apply for committee membership for the 2027–2028 term.

Our committees rely on members who volunteer their time, knowledge, and expertise to support ISSM’s mission and help advance the field of sexual medicine. Committee membership is also an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from around the world, expand your professional network, and become more actively involved in the Society.

Applications are open until October 19, 2026, at 11:59 PM CST.

Why join an ISSM committee?
Committee membership offers the opportunity to:

• Gain greater recognition within the Society.
• Work as part of an international team and expand your global network.
• Build lasting professional and personal relationships.
• Enrich your ISSM membership experience and contribute to the field of sexual medicine in a new and rewarding way.

Which committees can I join?
Applications are currently open for:

• Conflict of Interest Committee
• Communication Committee
• Education Committee
• Ethics Committee
• Finance & Audit Committee
• Global Outreach Committee
• Grants & Prizes Committee
• History Committee
• Membership Committee
• Publication Committee
• Young Researchers Committee
• NEW – Corporate Handling, Investment, Partnership and Strategy Committee
• NEW – ISSM University Committee
• NEW – Scientific Research and Standards Reporting Committee

Full descriptions and requirements for all committees can be found here.

Who can apply?
Committee membership is open to professionals with an interest in human sexual medicine and science who currently hold active ISSM membership.

Applicants should have interests and skills that match the purpose and responsibilities of their chosen committee, be able to attend meetings and contribute to committee activities, and be enthusiastic about working within international and cross-cultural teams.

Previous volunteer experience with ISSM or an affiliated/related society committee is beneficial but not required.

Ready to get involved?
The committee term runs for two years, from January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2028.

If you are interested in contributing your expertise and becoming more involved in ISSM, we encourage you to submit your application.

APPLY NOW

Application deadline: October 19, 2026, at 11:59 PM CST.

Background

Low testosterone and testosterone deficiency are usually treated with testosterone therapy. But for those who wish to preserve their fertility or may not tolerate testosterone therapy, SERMs are available. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), including clomiphene citrate (CC), can increase gonadotropin and testosterone levels in men and have been in use as early as the 1960s.

BDSM has become more common in popular culture in recent years and may seem intimidating. However, bondage-discipline, dominance-submission, sadism, and masochism (BDSM) is a sexual practice that can involve sex toys and other devices. Often, this involves a “dominant” partner and a “submissive” partner. BDSM is less about pain and more about exploring power dynamics and sexuality in a mutually pleasurable and consensual way.

This October 16-18, our afiliated society, ISSWSH, will host the virtual Sexual Attitude Reflection Course, and we invite you to register and participate.

Patients may not arrive with straightforward questions, and conversations about sexual health can be complex. Many healthcare professionals have limited formal training in discussing topics that involve personal experiences, cultural perspectives, relationships, or identity.

The ISSWSH Sexuality Attitudes Reflection (SAR) Virtual Course provides a supportive learning environment where healthcare professionals from around the world can examine these topics together and strengthen their approach to patient communication.

During the course, participants will:

• Discuss a wide range of topics that may arise in sexual healthcare.
• Examine how personal experiences, cultural backgrounds, and professional training can influence clinical interactions.
• Learn alongside an interdisciplinary group of healthcare professionals.
• Participate in facilitated small-group discussions and experiential learning activities.
• Develop practical communication skills that support respectful, patient-centered care.
• Earn continuing medical education (CME) credit.

What makes the SAR Course unique?

• An interactive educational experience that encourages discussion, reflection, and professional growth.
• A confidential setting designed to support open dialogue and shared learning.
• An opportunity to learn from colleagues with diverse clinical backgrounds and perspectives.

Join colleagues from around the world for the first fully virtual ISSWSH SAR Course.

 Click here to watch a video that explains more about what a SAR Course is.

 View the program for the SAR course here.

New parents may experience a variety of mental health issues during the postpartum period. Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CB-PTSD), depression, and general well-being can contribute to sexual dysfunction.

In this podcast episode, host Estela Citrin speaks with Michelle Sampaio from Brazil about performance anxiety and erectile dysfunction. Together, they discuss how anxiety can interfere with erections by activating the body’s fight-or-flight response and making it difficult to relax and remain present during sexual activity. The conversation explores how social media, pornography, and cultural expectations around masculinity can create unrealistic ideas about sexual performance and contribute to anxiety. Michelle also explains that normal fluctuations in erections are often mistakenly viewed as erectile dysfunction and emphasizes that sexual intimacy does not need to focus solely on penetration. They discuss how psychotherapy, sexual education, and open communication between partners can help challenge negative thoughts, reduce performance pressure, and create more realistic expectations around sexuality. This episode highlights the importance of understanding the psychological and cultural factors behind performance anxiety and encourages a more relaxed, communicative, and pleasure-focused approach to sexual well-being.

You're Invited to Athens!

Let's Talk About Sex in Urogynecology: Practical Strategies to Assess and Optimize Sexual Outcomes

The International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) is proud to endorse this interactive workshop at the 19th EUGA Annual Meeting, taking place in Athens, Greece, on 3–5 December 2026.

Join us for a practical, multidisciplinary session dedicated to one of the most important—and too often overlooked—aspects of women's pelvic floor care: sexual function.

Designed for urogynecologists, gynecologists, urologists, pelvic floor physiotherapists and all healthcare professionals involved in women's health, this workshop will provide practical, evidence-based strategies to help clinicians confidently assess, discuss and optimize sexual outcomes in women with pelvic floor disorders.

Together, we will explore:

• The impact of ageing, menopause and GSM on female sexual function
• How pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence affect intimacy and quality of life
• Practical approaches to taking a sexual history in everyday clinical practice
• The effects of conservative and surgical treatments on sexual outcomes
• Strategies to further optimize sexual function through hormonal, psychological and multidisciplinary care

Through expert-led presentations, real clinical cases and interactive discussion, participants will leave with practical tools that can be immediately implemented in daily practice.

Workshop Faculty

• Dr. Michail Litos
• Dr. Dimitra Vasileiadou
• Dr. Anna Padoa
• Dr. Anastasia Tsitoura
• Dr. Aristotelis-Marios Koulakmanidis

19th EUGA Annual Meeting Athens, Greece 3–5 December 2026

We look forward to welcoming you to Athens for what promises to be an engaging and highly practical workshop, bringing together expertise in urogynecology and sexual medicine to improve the care of women worldwide.

Learn more: https://www.eugacongress.org/workshops26

Background

Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the more common male sexual dysfunctions, with an average prevalence of around 14.9% worldwide. The International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) characterizes PE by a short intravaginal latency time, a consistent inability to delay ejaculation, and personal complications or distress.