TCAS 01. Current status and prospective in Chinese Andrology
Andrology is the medical specialty that deals with male health, particularly relating to the problems of the male reproductive system and urological problems that are unique to men. Andrology has a long history in the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and plays important role in the ancient Chinese medical history. Modern Andrology combined the essence TCM and the western medical theories, and developed current Chinese Andrology.
Current Status
The Chinese Andrology developed promptly since the foundation of People's Republic of China in 1949. In the 1950s, Academician Wu Jieping and other Urologists firstly conducted Andrological researches, which mainly focused on the male infertility studies. The study "Phenyl mercury acetate injection in the vas deferens and oral gossypol administration in the male contraception" was the first andrological study in China. In the 1980s, Academician Wu Jieping firstly edied "Sex Medicine", and distributed the Chinese edition among the millions of physicians across China, which was believed to be the start of the rapid development of Chinese Andrology. In 1986, the Chinese Andrology Journal, the first Chinese academic journal for Andrology, was published in Shanghai. In the 1990s, the Chinese Andrology had rapid development: Chinese Sex Medicine Journal, National Andrology Journal and Asian Journal of Andrology were published sequentially. Specifically, Asian Journal of Andrology has developed into an international peerreviewed Journal, with a 5-year average IF of 1.960, and ranks 3rd in the global Andrology journals. Additionally, other high profile academic books were introduced, such as "Andrology" co-authored by academician Guo Ying Lu and Professor Hu Liquan, systemically introduced the guidelines for diagnosis and treatments of andrological diseases and more than 10 textbook in Andrology area were published in China recently.
With the delicate contributions by Academician Wu Jieping and Guo Yinglu, Prof. Hu Liquan, Prof. Ma Xiaonian, Prof. Xue Zhaoying, Prof. Li Jiangyuan and Prof. Zhu Jichuan, the Chinese Andrology Association was founded in 1995. Academician Wu Jiepingwas was the honor chief committee member and Academician Guo Yinglu was the chief committee member. Furthermore, the annual meeting hosted by the Chinese Andrology Association bridges the andrologists from the entire country, and provides development momentum for the Chinese Andrology. Taking the 2011 annual meeting for example, it received 1293 submitted articles, enrolled more than 800 attendees, and invited some of experts from international and domestic for key note speeches. Meanwhile, the Great Wall Andrology Forum (GIAF), founded by academician Guo Yinglu and Professor Tom F Lue, and the goal of this forum is to serve as a gateway for scientific researchers and clinicians to acquire the most up-dated knowledge and technical advancement in various fields of Andrology and Urology. It will also serve as a bridge for faculty members and attendees to exchange scientific ideas, establish friendship, set up collaboration in research and patient care. This exciting meeting will bring cutting-edge knowledge and concepts to interested professionals,and has become the well-known platform for andrological research and communication, and displays the achievements of Chinese andrology. In each Biannual meeting, there are more than 50 internationally famous andrological experts have a spatial lecture and more than 800 attendees and the 5th Great wall translational Andrology and Urology Forum (GTAUF2012) will be organized in Hainan International Convention Center in March 8-12,2012.
In the 21st century, the information technology and economic achivement significantly promoted the andrology development. In some comprehensive tertiary hospitals, independent andrology clinics have been established. Meanwhile, many private-owned andrology clinics are also in rapid development across China. Currently, the domestic and international communications between andrologists have been very common. As for the undertaken treatments, we share the same international standard in many areas, for example, the operational intervention more than 1000 cases were performed annually in Andrology Center, Peking University First Hospital include penile prosthesis nearly 50 cases, microscopic surgery for male infertility 500 cases include vericocelectomy and vas deferens epididymis anastomosis, In the recent years, many hospitals have successfully conducted microscopic surgery for male infertility. Furthermore, the basic andrology researches have also developed soundly. The national Science Foundation of China has begun to increase the grant amount in the male reproductive researches. For example, in the past decade, there were 270 NSFC grants to support andrology studies, with a total amount of 91 million RMB, also, there are increasing andrological researches published in the domestic and SCIindexed Journals. Taking Asian Journal of Andrology, Journal of Andrology and Journal of sexual medicine, for example, there were more than 300 original articles had been published, respectively.
1. Prospective
The booming Chinese economy and huge populations are the momentum for the Chinese Andrology development. Additionally, the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and the western medicine theories, would definitely promote the rapid development of the Chinese andrology. To meet the demands for andrology development, we need to properly undertake the following tasks:
(I) Set up the specialty training program. China is a large and populous country, and the medical education in different areas may vary significantly, therefore, the mandatory specialty training should be enhanced to guarantee the physicians' criteria.
(II) The traditional Chinese medicine should be further studied, and the treatment should combine the Chinese and Western medicine. The traditional Chinese medicine is a treasure given by our ancestors, and it's our responsibility to explore new treatments, for example, the acupuncture is proved to be effective in the treatment of premature ejaculation.
(III) To issue the guidelines for the diagnosis and treatments of andrological disease. The Chinese Andrology Association has begun to summon experts in conducting androgolical guideline for ED and other 10 diseases.
(V) The basic research of Andrology in China is still under development, and innovative programs are very few. Specifically, the researches and development of new drugs should be encouraged, and the innovative programs with Chinese characteristics should be well promoted.
(IV) Open the gateway by international meeting for scientific researchers and clinicians to acquire the most up-dated knowledge and technical advancement in various fields of Andrology and Urology to exchange scientific ideas, establish friendship, set up collaboration in research and patient care.
