The 12th Chinese Medical Congress & Scientific Meeting was held on July 26, 1981 at the Lai Lai Shangri-la Hotel in Taipei. Participants included the Secretary General of the World Medical Association, Dr. A. Wynen, as well as other distinguished guests from the medical field. Altogether 1,000 people from 10 countries attended.

The purpose of the meeting was to exchange information and discuss recent developments in the medical world, as well as to upgrade the quality of medicine in Taiwan. The meeting lasted only two days, but its contribution to Taiwan's medical establishment was invaluable.

The Chinese Medical Congress is an academic group of highly qualified personnel, established during World War Ⅱ. It has provided new medical knowledge and a forum at which members could discuss scientific, research, and medical health problems. Proposals were also made to health and medical-education administrators for their evaluation. The Medical Congress was expanded this year to include all members of the international medical community, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ROC.

Participating countries included the US, Britain, France, Belgium, Spain, South Africa, Australia, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, and other countries.

The conference was proud to have as a participant South African surgeon Professor Christian Barnard, the first doctor in the world to perform a heart transplant in 1967. On disembarking from the plane at the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport with his wife Barbara, he remarked that he had heard the ROC's clinical medicine was very advanced, and was therefore happy to be able to attend the conference.

Chairman of Veterans' General Hospital's therapy department, Hsu Do-chang, explained why almost every person invited had attended: "They heard that Free China on Taiwan was very beautiful. More important, the level of the theses and reports presented was high, and raised many important in-depth medical questions, so medical experts were, of course, eager to attend such a conference."

At the meeting, foreign guests discovered that the quality of Taiwan's medicine had improved rapidly over the past 30 years. The death rate has declined and the average life expectancy has increased. This period has seen the eradication of most acute infectious diseases. Medical techniques and knowledge have advanced to such a degree that Taiwan may be considered equal to developed countries.

Medical authorities in Taiwan have set three goals to maintain this progress: (1) To strengthen medical and technical research, raise the standard of medicine, diagnoses, rehabilitation, etc., and to develop and manufacture drugs and medical equipment. (2) To improve the system of medical care and hygiene awareness, increase the number of medical personnel, and to encourage doctors to offer their services in underdeveloped rural areas; to promote mental health care and nutrition education; to improve public health services and food inspection procedures. (3) To promote family planning and to effect measures aimed at increasing women's and children's health care, and increase benefits for senior citizens.

During the conference, 270 papers were delivered, covering areas such as ophthalmology, immunology, surgery, otolaryngology, and cancer.

Special topics and speeches totaled 53, some delivered by specialists such as Drs. U. Goebelsman, J. F. Goodwin, and M. L. Goris.

In a special presentation, Professor Barnard pointed out there are many problems which medicine cannot solve such as the inevitability of death. Doctors, he said, should try to make the patient as comfortable as possible, both physically and mentally, especially during post-operative care. He continued that although the caliber of Taiwan's doctors is high, the law prevents heart transplant operations. In other countries, a person is declared legally dead when his brain ceases to function. But in China, a person's heart must have stopped beating before he can be declared dead. If this is the case, then how can a 'dead' heart be used for a transplant?

Another point discussed was that in Chinese society, parents still prefer boys to girls. In view of recent developments in sperm-splicing, many couples may soon be able to choose the sex of their children. This would be a great boon to Taiwan's family-planning program. It would greatly reduce the population rate, since couples continue to have children until a boy is born.

Others in the medical congress pointed out some ways in which Taiwan's medical practices could be improved. Doctors rarely engage in basic research work, it was pointed out. Furthermore, while there is a great deal of advanced technological equipment, there is a lack of people qualified to use it.

The Republic of China's standing in medical organizations was threatened a few years ago by political factors. But because of the country's progress in the medical field, no action was taken.

Assessing the ROC's future standing in the international medical community, Dr. Wynen said, "Don't worry. So far, Communist countries are not members of the World Medical Association. Applicant countries must go through a rigorous evaluation concerning the quality of their medical knowledge and standards. The Soviet Union had applied, but was not granted membership; 90% of their doctors did not have formal or sufficient education in medicine. Mainland China's qualifications are even worse."

[Picture Caption]

1. The 12th Chinese Medical Congress and Scientific Meeting was held on July 26, 1981 at the Lai Lai Shangri-La Hotel in Taipei. Pictured here is Premier Sun addressing the participants at the opening ceremony. 2. The keynote speech was delivered by Dr. A. Wynen, Secretary General of the World Medical Association. 3. President of the South African Medical Association, Dr. J. N. de Klerk, delivering a speech. 4. General Chen Wei-Yuan (left) presenting an award to Dr. L. L. Wilson, President of the Australian Medical Association for his contribution to the promotion of the study of medicine in the ROC 5. Dr. John F. Goodwin (right) being welcomed to the meeting. 6. Heart transplant specialist, Prof. Christian Barnard, delivering a speech. 7. Representatives from participating countries attending the meeting.

1. British Prof. J. E. Goodwin (right) who received an award for his speech on "The relevance of cardiomyopathy to general cardiology." 2. Medical specialist Prof. Jin Nan-geng receiving an award after the meeting. 3. Mrs. Christian Barnard seen during a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where she met with Minister Chu Fu-sung (second from Left) and Vice Minister Friedrick F. Chien (left) 4. Many young doctors attended the meeting to learn about new methods in medicine.

1. Open heart surgery being performed in the newest operating theater at the Veterans General Hospital . 2. Computer photographs are effectively used in analyses of head injuries. 3. The cancer treatment center at the Veterans Hospital. 4. The Veterans Hospital uses five closed-circuit TV monitors to observe patients' blood pressure and breathing and heart rate.

The keynote speech was delivered by Dr. A. Wynen, Secretary General of the World Medical Association.

President of the South African Medical Association, Dr. J. N. de Klerk, delivering a speech.

General Chen Wei-Yuan （left） presenting an award to Dr. L. L. Wilson, President of the Australian Medical Association for his contribution to the promotion of the study of medicine in the ROC 5.

Dr. John F. Goodwin （right） being welcomed to the meeting.

Heart transplant specialist, Prof. Christian Barnard, delivering a speech.

Representatives from participating countries attending the meeting.

British Prof. J. E. Goodwin （right） who received an award for his speech on "The relevance of cardiomyopathy to general cardiology.".

Medical specialist Prof. Jin Nan-geng receiving an award after the meeting.

Mrs. Christian Barnard seen during a visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where she met with Minister Chu Fu-sung （second from Left） and Vice Minister Friedrick F. Chien （left）

Many young doctors attended the meeting to learn about new methods in medicine.

Open heart surgery being performed in the newest operating theater at the Veterans General Hospital .

Computer photographs are effectively used in analyses of head injuries.

The cancer treatment center at the Veterans Hospital.

The Veterans Hospital uses five closed-circuit TV monitors to observe patients' blood pressure and breathing and heart rate.