Asia-pacific Federation for Clinical Biochemistry (APFCB) and Laboratory Medicine

The idea of forming a regional federation was first mooted when several clinical biochemists from Australia, Japan, and Singapore (including Professor David Curnow, Dr Robert Edwards, Professor Kiyoshi Miyai, and Dr Tan It Koon) met in a hotel room during the 1975 International Congress of Clinical Chemistry in Toronto, Canada. At the end of 1977, some members of the Australian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB) prepared a document for a discussion entitled "A Regional Clinical Biochemistry Group in South-East Asia?" This was sent to clinical biochemists from a number of countries. At the same time, a decision to hold the first regional congress in 1979 in Singapore was made. The small group of Singapore clinical biochemists which numbered only about 14 at that time took the bold step to establish the Singapore Association of Clinical Biochemists (SACB) in 1978 and jointly organized the First South-East Asian & Pacific Congress of Clinical Biochemistry with the AACB. Dr Tan It Koon (SACB President) and Dr Meg Breidal (AACB President) were requested to co-chair the Organising Committee. Dr Peter Garcia-Webb was asked to serve as scientific subcommittee chairman and Dr Ron Bowyer would assist with publicity. Dr Edward Jacob would look after the Industrial Exhibition and Dr Aw Swee Eng would be responsible for publications related to the Congress. The 1979 Congress was a great success and generated a great deal of enthusiasm and interest in making the congress a regular one for the region. A daily newspaper was produced for free distribution to participants during the Congress. A Proceeding of the Congress was published several months after the Congress. These became regular features of subsequent congresses.