Professional development

Publications

Sep 2026

Where does surgery fit in the era of effective obesity pharmacotherapy?

Positioning metabolic bariatric surgery within multimodal obesity care.

Ricardo V. Cohen, Paulina Salminen, Jaime Ponce and Gerhard Prager

International Journal of Obesity; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-026-02215-y

Mar 2026

The first clinical practice guideline for treatment of adult obesity in South Africa is to be welcomed as a valuable tool in the management of obesity in the country. This guideline, an adaptation of the comprehensive document produced by Obesity Canada, and which has also been adapted for use in several countries, has been customised to respond to South Africa’s local context and needs and is published in this Special Issue of the SAMJ.

Nov 2025

The updated IFSO Position Statement on the Role of Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy Before and After Metabolic Bariatric Surgery is now published.

May 2025

The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) issued a global declaration to reinforce the urgent need for a paradigm shift in the perception, diagnosis, and management of obesity. We attach this Global Statement and accompanying Editorial for reference and use by members when engaging with providers and colleagues in our quest to increase access to obesity treatment. 

May 2025

The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity (IFSO) recently unveiled the results of a landmark LANCET COMMISSION initiative that redefines clinical obesity with its signs and symptoms as any other chronic and systemic illness. This new evidence-based framework is poised to transform surgical care and clinical management by addressing long-standing limitations in obesity diagnosis and management.

Partnerships

SAMMSS remains committed to continuous training and improvement in the field of bariatric and metabolic surgery and medicine. To this end we have partnered with international and local institutions and bodies to gain access to training content and courses for our members.