Being in power is a very powerful state. It means deciding what, how much, when, and how things will be discussed. Although history shows us that nothing happens because the public wants it but because it must happen, perhaps this time our hope will come true, like the bread of the poor.
Considering the fatigue many of us feel due to daily politics, today I want to talk about something hopeful. Not art, but scientific literacy. I will tell you about the 5th Expermed Congress held in Istanbul, focusing on IVF treatments, an important area within reproductive health.
To prevent some readers from stopping because they think this topic does not concern them, I say: you never know who will need what and when. Maybe you learn something that helps you in a quiz, impress friends, give advice, or one day you might need this treatment yourself. Or maybe it just satisfies your curiosity. I suggest you read on and change your mood.
Feel the presence of our brilliant scientists, doctors, embryologists, and nurses in our country. Let's repair the patient-doctor relationship, which has been deliberately alienated or even antagonized. The past two days in Istanbul were filled with meetings from early morning to late evening, with speakers from 19 different countries and 300 participants.
There was very productive knowledge sharing and socializing between doctors asking, "How can I do better for my patients?" and colleagues sharing new publications and experiences. IVF treatments are developing at an extraordinary pace by incorporating genetic science. Now artificial intelligence has entered the picture, and imagining what awaits us in the future is very exciting.
The defining phrase of the congress was exactly this: "The Future of ART" (Assisted Reproductive Technology). I conducted a brief interview with the organizers of this hopeful congress, which brought together Turkish and international medical professionals with a high scientific level in Istanbul. Despite their fatigue, Prof. Dr. Gürkan Bozdağ and Prof. Dr. F. Kübra Boynukalın kindly answered my questions.
Let us respect their efforts and enjoy a pleasant read. -Expermed, meaning medical professionals specialized in their field, was held for the 5th time in 2026. The 4th congress planned in Hatay in 2023 was scheduled to take place one month after the February 6 earthquake. Unfortunately, the massive destruction and disaster directly or indirectly affected all our lives, and the congress was canceled.
Could you tell us about the history of this very special scientific meeting held in different cities? How did the idea emerge and progress? - Before starting, when I pause and think about where we are and how we got here, a smile inevitably appears on my face. It all began in 2008 with a simple but powerful idea from our esteemed professor, Dr. Mustafa Bahçeci.
At that time, IVF was just beginning to spread in Turkey; it was a young, rapidly growing field with many questions and few answers. The professor believed that experience should not remain confined within the walls of a single clinic, and our first congress was held that year. It was very well received in the medical community.
Since then, national conditions and global crises like the pandemic have occasionally challenged us; however, the congress has always revived in a different city with new energy. From the 2nd congress onward, we started organizing under the name EXPERMED. The name itself carries meaning: doctors specialized in their field. This is our fifth congress, each with its own story.
The most difficult moment was our fourth congress. We were to meet in Hatay. Everything was ready. Exactly one month before the meeting, on February 6, 2023, the earthquake struck. That congress never took place, but none of us have forgotten that city or that pain. Today, at our fifth congress, to be honest, it was hard to imagine back in 2008 that we would reach this point.
Now leading European figures speak here, and participants from different countries sit in this hall. Expermed has transformed from a national sharing platform into a truly international scientific congress. - Being a speaker or participant at congresses is much easier than preparing the scientific program. How do you see the changes in the congress since the first one?
From the scientific level of speakers to the presence of participants in the hall and sponsor support, what has improved and what challenges you? - Being a speaker or participant and preparing the scientific program are very different responsibilities. As a speaker, your job is relatively clear: you present the assigned topic in the best way possible based on your scientific data and clinical experience.
Your boundaries are clear. But when preparing the program, the picture changes completely. Because when you sit at that table, you have to ask yourself: What is the real agenda of our field today? What will we be discussing tomorrow? And more importantly, what do we want to contribute to our young colleagues? We want to give them not just information but a perspective, a vision, a way of thinking. This is much harder.
Because our field is rapidly changing. What was controversial yesterday may have reached consensus today; or conversely, an established practice may be questioned by a new study. When preparing the program, you must catch this wave at the right time—not too early, not too late. Looking back from our first congress to today, I think this is the most significant change. Initially, experience sharing was the focus.
Now, we want to discuss, question, and bring different opinions to the same table. Because our young people can easily access information; their need is not to find what they want but to learn what to ask. From the speakers' perspective, a lot has really changed. In the early years, we mainly started with national figures. Today, internationally recognized leaders shaping the literature speak on this stage.
This is no longer a luxury; the language of science is universal, and so are the questions. It is very valuable for us and our participants that a clinician in Turkey can discuss at the same table with colleagues in Copenhagen or London. Regarding participants, to be honest, filling the halls has become much more difficult.
After the pandemic, congress culture changed, online content became more accessible, travel costs increased, and clinical workloads intensified. To keep a doctor in the hall for two days, content alone is no longer enough; atmosphere, interaction, and the energy created by real-time discussion are also necessary. We pay attention to this, but it is not easy. As for sponsor support, this is a chronic reality for every congress.
Maintaining scientific independence while receiving support is a delicate balance. We have always been careful to preserve this balance. However, changing dynamics in the pharmaceutical and medical sectors are making congress financing increasingly complex. This continues to challenge us. - What were your main topics regarding IVF treatments at the 2026 congress? What did you most want to discuss and what new questions did you want to raise?
How is artificial intelligence (AI), sometimes our friend, psychologist, mentor, or assistant, being used in IVF treatments? - The transformation in genetics is truly striking. In the past, we had many unexplained failures, recurrent miscarriages, and stalled embryo development that we could not explain to our patients. Some cases we called 'unexplained' were actually not unexplained; our tools at the time were just insufficient.
Today, with the development of preimplantation genetic tests and whole genome sequencing becoming a clinical tool, some of those dark spots have started to clear. Instead of saying 'we don't know' to patients, we can now provide a concrete explanation for at least some cases. This is an important change for both clinicians and patients. Regarding AI and automation, the future of the laboratory is beginning to take shape.
AI-supported systems in embryo selection, continuous imaging inside incubators, and monitoring of quality control parameters are no longer utopian but practical tools. The real question is: will these systems replace embryologist experience or strengthen it? We believe the second option is the right path, but we must establish standards, training, and ethical frameworks together.
- My last questions: What messages do you think your colleagues will take from this meeting back to their patients? What innovations increase pregnancy chances for women and couples wanting to have children? Thank you very much for your time.
- Every session, discussion, and question at this congress serves one goal: to have a more honest and hopeful conversation with the couple sitting in the examination room. But perhaps the most important message is this: every patient is different. Your neighbor's treatment may not suit you. Our goal now is not to apply the same protocol to everyone but to create a personalized roadmap for you.
Our capacity to do this increases every year. There is hope. And this hope is now based not on intuition but on data. We also embrace this opportunity.
