Asia-Oceania Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (AFOMP)

The Asia-Oceania Federation of Organizations for Medical Physics (AFOMP) was founded on May 28, 2000. The formation of AFOMP is only possible with the aspiration of an enthusiastic and cohesive effort made by many medical physicists, especially during its embryonic stage. IOMP, particularly with the initiatives of Professors Colin Orton and Gary Fullerton and members of its Science Committee played an important role in promoting the formation of its Asian regional chapter. Dr Akira Ito (Japan), Professors Raymond Wu (USA) and Professor Barry Allen (Australia) were amongst the firsts to explore such possibility with the leaders of the medical physics communities in the region. On October 5, 1999 during the International Conference on Medical imaging, Medical Physics and Precision Radiation Therapy in Guangzhou, China, Dr. Ito together with Dr. Kwan Hoong Ng (Malaysia) was able to organize a meeting for a group of Asian physicists to discuss the subject.Representatives from China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, and Thailand were present at the meeting to exchange ideas on scientific collaboration and on the possibility of formation of a regional medical physics organization. Advice and encouragement were given by Dr. Geoffrey Ibbott, then the President of AAPM, Dr. Carridad Borras, Chairperson of the IOMP Science Committee, Professors William Hendee and Nan-zhu Xie, Co-Presidents of the Guangzhou International Conference, who attended the meeting as observers.