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THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1974
BUT DESPITE SUCH A SATISFACTORY STATE OF AFFAIRS, THERE MIGHT STILL BE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT. THE ENTIRE B.C.G. PROGRAMME WAS BEING SUBJECTED TO FURTHER EVALUATION, WITH THE HELP OF THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL'S STATISTICAL RESEARCH AND SERVICES UNIT. +
SEVERAL THERAPEUTIC TRIALS, CARRIED OUT IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL, WERE NOW NEARING COMPLETION.
IN A REFERENCE TO THE STUDY ON THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF SPINAL TUBERCULOSIS, DR. CHOA SAID TWO METHODS HAD BEEN ALTER- NATELY USED ANTERIOR SPINAL FUSION AND SIMPLE DEBRIDEMENT, AND THE RESULTS COMPARED. HE UNDERSTOOD A REPORT WOULD BE PUBLISHED SOON, WHICH WOULD BE +OF GREAT INTEREST TO ORTHO- PAEDIC SURGEONS THE WORLD OVER.+
FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT, SEVERAL NEW ANTI-TUBERCULOSIS DRUGS -- USED EITHER SIMPLY OR IN COMBINATION HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO FIELD TRIALS, AND GOOD PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE IN A CONTINUING EFFORT TO FIND A METHOD BEST SUITED FOR MASS TREATMENT.
WHAT WE NEED IS A DRUG WHICH IS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE, FREE FROM TOXICITY, INEXPENSIVE, AND EASY TO ADMINISTER BECAUSE IT WILL BE USED ON A LARGE SCALE IN OUT-PATIENT CLINICS ON AMBULATORY PATIENTS,✦ HE EXPLAINED.
IT WAS ALSO DESIRABLE THAT A COURSE OF TREATMENT SHOULD NOT TAKE MANY MONTHS TO COMPLETE, SINCE THE AVERAGE DURATION OF 18 MONTHS FOR PRESENTLY-AVAILABLE COURSES WAS CONSIDERED TOO LONG, ESPECIALLY BY THE PATIENTS.+
WITH REGARD TO TH PUBLIC HEALTH ASPECT OF TUBERCULOSIS, DR. CHOA SAID PERHAPS THE AUDIENCE WOULD BE INTERESTED TO LEARN THAT THE DISEASE, ONCE OCCUPYING FIRST PLACE, RANKED AGAIN LAST YEAR AFTER CANCER, HEART DISEASES, AND CEREBROVASCULAR DISEASES. SUCH A PATTERN HAÐ LONG BEEN OBSERVED IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES, AND IT WAS +REMARKABLE+ THAT IT HAD EMERGED IN HONG KONG IN RECENT YEARS.
/DR. CHOA
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