MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT - HKCOG...I feel particularly honoured to be College President at her 25th Anniversary. I would like to take this chance to once again congratulate the two

I feel particularly honoured to be College President

at her 25th Anniversary. I would like to take this chance to

once again congratulate the two new honorary fellows, Dr

Lawrence TANG and Prof. Dennis LO.

It is now just over half a year since college office

bearers took the vow, and we

encountered some

illustrative events to

demonstrate our stand and

strengths. I am grateful to

the Council, training units,

and individuals for the

support. The Council is now

well‐connected, with use of

IT for information dispatch

and consultation.

With active support of Council members, very soon

after we assumed office in 2013, the College collectively

formed a middle‐of‐road position to a government

consultation on breast milk substitute products, while we

also supported breast feeding. In a more recent issue on

training to genetics and genomics, the College aligned our

stand with that of the Academy quickly after rapid

consultation with Council members. Academy will take

lead and we shall support. We may organize further

training activities according to educational and service

needs.

The college has been consulted by the Department

of Health to participate in 2 expert groups to formulate

policies on monitoring of outpatient endoscopy and

surgical procedures. Our representation endeavours to

help the government to balance public accountability

versus necessity to control. Hopefully there will only be

reasonable disturbance to practice efficiency and society

cost.

Our college is supportive in contribution to

celebrative events towards the 20th Anniversary of Hong

Kong Academy of Medicine. This includes public exposure

to foster good relations, and will summate with a congress

and fellowship conferment in

early December.

Time after time since

childhood, each person

experiences that we

collectively stand only when

there is mutual support, and

a divided group is subject to

mercy of others. The

College has taken up

responsibility to assist her constituents whenever it is

appropriate. There had been isolated concern on

individual training units in relation to workload fluctuation.

The College has continually monitored workload

distribution to trainees with reference to training

documents. The Education Committee concluded that our

training is still healthy. It may now be particularly

reassuring to trainees, fellows and the society because the

College has moved onto competence based assessment

from traditional sole consideration about exposure

statistics. This credit of our college rightly belongs to our

many trainers, and particularly Prof. Tony CHUNG who

introduced this concept to our college.

LEUNG Kwok Ling Ares (President)

Volume 21 Issue 1 August 2013

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

2 DialOGue

The composition of Committees for 2013 is as follows:

Finance & Executive Committee

Chairman Dr LEUNG Kwong Ling Ares

Members Dr AU YEUNG Kam Chuen Sidney

Dr CHAN Kar Loen Karen

Prof. LEUNG Tak Yeung

Dr LEUNG Wing Cheong

Dr YU Kai Man

Education Committee

Chairman Dr LEUNG Wing Cheong


Dr CHAN Chung Sum Sammy

Dr CHAN Wan Pang

Dr CHOW Kam Ming

Dr FUNG Tak Yuen

Dr LEUNG Kwok Ling Ares


Prof. NG Hung Yu Ernest

Dr TAI Chark Man

Dr TAM Wing Hung

Dr TO Wing Kee William

Dr YEUNG Po Chi Anita

Dr YU Kai Man

Dr LAW Jessica Yun Pui

CME/CPD Committee

Chairman Dr WONG Se Hung Wilfred


Dr CHEON Cecilia Willy

Prof. HO Pak Chung

Dr LAM Wai Cheung

Prof. LAO Tzu Hsi Terence


Dr LEUNG Tse Ngong


Dr NG Pui Shan

Dr NG Tong Yow

Dr TANG Kwok Hung

Dr TSE Kai Tai

Dr YIP Shing Kai Alexander

Dr YU Kai Man

Dr YUEN Tak Ho Paul

Quality Assurance Committee

Chairman Dr LEUNG Kwok Ling Ares


Dr CHAN Chong Pun

Dr CHAN Chung Sum Sammy

Dr CHAN Kuen Ting

Dr CHAN Lin Wai Daniel

Dr CHAN Woon Tong Joseph

Dr CHEUNG Kai Bun

Dr CHEUNG Tak Hong

Dr CHU Wai Yee

Dr DOO Alexander Kenneth

Dr FUNG Tak Yuen

Dr LAU Woon Chung

Dr LEE Kai Wan



Dr LIAUW Linna

Dr MOK Ka Ming

Prof. NGAN Yuen Sheung Hextan

Dr YEUNG Tim Wing

Dr YU Kai Man

Dr YUEN Pong Mo

Manpower Committee

Chairman Dr LEUNG Kwok Yin


Dr FUNG Tak Yuen

Dr LAU Wai Lam


Dr LI Hang Wun Raymond

COUNCIL NEWS

3 DialOGue

Dr TO Wing Kee William

Dr WONG To

Dr YU Kai Man

Subspecialty Committee

Chairman Dr CHEUNG Tak Hong


Dr CHAN Kar Loen Karen


Dr GO Wing Wa


Dr LEUNG Kwok Yin



Dr NG Tong Yow

Dr YU Kai Man

Ethics Committee

Chairman Dr YEUNG Po Chi Anita


Mr CHANG Woody



Dr LO Siu Fai Leslie

Dr PUN Ting Chung

Dr TANG Hoi Yin Mary

Dr YU Kai Man

Internal Relationship / DialOGue

Chief Editor Dr LO Tsz Kin

Editors Dr NG Kwun Sin Vivian

Dr YUNG Wai Kuen

Public Relations & Information Resources Committee

Chairman Dr AU YEUNG Kam Chuen Sidney

Members Dr CHAN Kuen Ting

Dr CHEUNG Kai Bun

Prof. HAINES Christopher

Dr LAU Tze Kin

Dr LAW Chi Lim

Dr LEE Chin Peng



Dr SO Wai Ki William


Dr YU Kai Man

Fellowship Selection Committee

Chairman Dr CHAN Chong Pun




Dr YU Kai Man

Review Committee

Chairman Dr CHEUNG Kai Bun

Information Technology Committee

Chairman Dr TANG Kwok Keung


Dr CHAN Chong Pun

Dr CHAN Lin Wai Daniel

Dr CHEUNG Mei Ling


Dr WONG Daniel

Dr YU Kai Man

Service Development Working Group

Chairman Dr FUNG Tak Yuen



Dr CHEUNG Tak Hong

Dr CHOW Kam Ming

Dr LAW Chi Lim


Dr LEUNG Kwok Yin


Dr LO Ni Boon Peter

4 DialOGue

Dr TANG Kwok Hung

Dr YEUNG Po Chi Anita

Dr YU Kai Man

Others

Spokesman Dr AU YEUNG Kam Chuen Sidney

Dr Ares LEUNG reported that the following nominations

for Office Bearers for 2014 had been received:

President: Dr LEUNG Kwok Ling Ares

Senior Vice‐President: Dr LEUNG Wing Cheong

Junior Vice‐President: Prof. LEUNG Tak Yeung

Honorary Treasurer: Dr YU Kai Man

Honorary Secretary: Dr AU YEUNG Kam Chuen Sidney

As there was only one nominee for each post, and there

was an adequate quorum in the Council, the nominees

were elected ipso facto.

The Council and Officers in AGM& Dinner June 2013. Note

that Prof. HK MA (our Founding President) has joined us

on screen through Face‐time from her home in London!

Dr WONG Yuen Kwan Alice would retire from the Council

at the end of 2013. Dr WONG served one term of office

only and would be eligible for re‐election.

As the elected Council members who would remain on

Council in 2014 would include:

Dr CHAN Lin Wai Daniel (Hospital Authority)

Dr CHOW Kam Ming (Hospital Authority)

Dr CHAN Kar Loen Karen (University)

Prof. NG Hung Yu Ernest (University)

Dr TAM Wing Hung (University)

Dr WONG Wai Yu Amelia (Private Sector)

Dr YIP Shing Kai Alexander (Private Sector)

The vacancy could be from: One Fellow who can be either

from Hospital Authority or Private Sector.

Nomination for this vacancy was called in July.

FINANCE MATTERS

The College account was healthy at HK$10.2million.

The salary of College secretary will be increased by one

point on the Civil Service / Hospital Authority General Pay

Scale plus 5% for inflation.

REPRESENTATION AT RCOG CONGRESS 2013

Dr LEUNG Wing Cheong attended the RCOG Congress in

Liverpool in June. He represented HKCOG in a special

meeting on Global Education in Mainland China and social

functions in the Congress.

Finance & Executive Committee

Election of Officers 2014

Retirement of Council Members

5 DialOGue

HOSPITAL VISIT

After hospital visit on 13th November 2012, the Education

Committee recommended and the Council approved 12

combined training posts for Kwong Wah Hospital (KWH).

KWH will be re‐visited in 5 years’ time (in November

2017).

After hospital visit on 20th November 2012, the Education

Committee recommended and the Council approved 12

training posts for Tuen Mun Hospital (TMH). TMH will be

re‐visited in 5 years’ time (in November 2017).

RESEARCH

Trainees reported having problems in doing research for

their training, in particular, in the area related to statistics.

Trainees requested some practical tips in writing scientific

papers.

It was agreed to place a database, which archived all the

recent publications of trainees, under a column of

publication corner in the College website for reference by

new trainees in planning their research project.

HKCOG POSTGRADUATE SEMINAR IN

NOVEMBER 2013

The HKCOG Postgraduate Seminar on 10th November 2013

will be co‐organized with Department of Obstetrics and

Gynaecology, The University of Hong Kong. The theme is

on sexual and reproductive health. The visiting Professor

of The University of Hong Kong and Royal College of

Obstetricians and Gynaecologists examiner from the

United Kingdom are invited speakers.

EXIT ASSESSMENT IN JANURAY 2013

Six candidates applied for Exit Assessment in January 2013.

One of them failed to satisfy the research requirement

and was not allowed to sit the Exit Assessment.

The other 5 candidates passed the examination:

Dr CHUNG Pui Wah Jacqueline (PWH)

Dr FONG Sau Yee (QEH)

Dr LEE Man Hin Menelik (QEH)

Dr MAK Shui Lam (QEH)

Dr TAM Man Sum (PMH)

SOE IN APRIL 2013

Both of the 2 candidates recorded a pass in the April 2013

Examination:

Dr CHAN On Yee (UCH)

Dr KWOK Shuk Tak (PYNEH)

The followings were endorsed by the Council:

1) Retired specialist Fellows could retire from the

Continuing Medical Education and Continuous

Professional Development (CME/CPD) cycle and still

hold the FHKCOG title.

But if they want to keep their specialist registration,

they MUST participate in our College’s CME/CPD

program. The Medical Council has stipulated that for

a doctor’s name to remain on the Specialist’s Register,

he/she must show satisfactory participation in a

CME/CPD program recognized by Hong Kong

Academy of Medicine. Also according to the by‐laws

of Hong Kong Academy of Medicine, a doctor’s status

Education Committee

CME/CPD Committee

6 DialOGue

as a Fellow of the Academy may be affected if he/she

fails to fulfill the requirement for CME/CPD.

2) According to CME/CPD guidelines item 6.3 (c),

Self‐study is only accredited with prior approval from

HKCOG, and with the necessary evidence that it has

been carried out diligently.

3) For Fellows whose primary practice is NOT in Hong

Kong, his/her CME points as recognized by their local

colleges could be considered if adequate information

was submitted for assessment.

Members attending meetings that did not have

attendance sheets provided need to obtain proof of

attendance and apply for CME points from the HKCOG.

The CME/CPD Committee has the final decision for all

CME/CPD applications.

SERVICE REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE

The annual obstetric reports of service units differ

sometimes in format. Some use the audit form of the

Department of Health and some use the HKCOG audit

report. The Committee asked for standardized report from

all obstetric service units (private and public) in

accordance to the HKCOG audit form rather than that of

the Department of Health.

The College would not dictate the audit of individual unit

but would help them to have independent quality

assurance. Each unit should appoint an administrator in

charge (i.e. unit head). An HKCOG Fellow holds

responsibility in quality assuranc.

A letter will be sent to all service units for standardized

obstetric reports in quality assurance and audit.

The coming service accreditation will be combined

obstetrics and gynecological accreditation, every 5 years,

instead of separate obstetric/gynecological service

accreditation.

‐ Submission of annual report was required for

accreditation.

‐ If suggestion or recommendation is made during the

accreditation, the implementation of the suggestion

should be done as soon as possible and not until the

next round of service accreditation.

COLPOSCOPY ACCREDITATION SUBCOMMITTEE

Specialist Colposcopist & Specialist Colposcopist

Trainer accreditation

The application for accreditation of specialist colposcopist

& specialist colposcopy trainer from Dr LAM Wai Cheung

was approved.

Specialist Colposcopist & Specialist Colposcopist

Trainer reaccreditation

After the reaccreditation of colposcopist exercise in 2012,

two appeals for reinstatement of colposcopists were

received. One appeal was voluntarily withdrawn later. In

the other appeal, it was stated that the dis‐certification

was due to administrative misunderstanding of his unit

and his application was delayed. The appeal was made on

the special ground that, since he has been supervising

most of the colposcopic exams in his Cluster, training may

be adversely affected if his trainer status was not

maintained.

The QA Committee took sympathy in the situation, and

understood that the appellant in fact had completed an

Quality Assurance Committee

7 DialOGue

adequate number of colposcopy examinations in the

period. Yet established principles had to be enforced. An

applicant needs to prospectively submit colposcopy audit

statistics and colposcopy related CMEs for reinstatement

of his colposcopist trainer status.

In May 2003, Q.A. Committee recommended and the

Council approved reinstatement of Dr LEE Hon Cheung’s

specialist colposcopist status.

Review of accreditation / reaccreditation

criteria

A request from President of The Hong Kong Society for

Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology was received to look

into the criteria for accreditation / reaccreditation of

colposcopist. It was noted that RCOG/BSCCP had updated

their accreditation criteria. Our existing criteria had been

in place for 10 years and required updating. A Working

Party led by Dr Karen CHAN and Dr MOK Ka Ming under

the Colposcopy Subcommittee of the Q.A. Committee will

look into this.

GYNECOLOGICAL ENDOSCOPY SUBCOMMITTEE

Q.A. Committee recommended and the Council approved

the following doctors for Gynecological Laparoscopic

Surgery (GLS) Accreditation.

Advanced Level

Dr CHO Lai Yin

Dr HO Yau Bong Winsom

Dr LEUNG Kit Tong

Dr WONG Sze Man

Dr YEUNG Sik Wing

Intermediate Level

Dr FUNG Wen Ying Linda

Dr KO Ka Yee Jennifer

Dr LAM Mei Ting

Dr LEE Ho Sze Jacqueline

Dr LO Lok Yan Noella

Dr WAH Yi Man

Dr WONG Kit Wah

Dr YUNG Shuk Fei

One application for Advanced Level GLS Accreditation was

not successful.

UROGYNECOLOGY SUBSPECIALTY TRAINING

Three candidates applied for a urogynecology training

post and an interview board was conducted on 28th

November 2012. One candidate was awarded the training

post and another candidate was put on a standby list to

take up the next available training post within 6 months.

A second training post later became available and was

awarded to this candidate on standby list on 11th January

2013.

ACCREDITATION/ REACCREDITATION CRITERIA

REVIEW

The Subspecialty Board will revisit the accreditation and

reaccreditation criteria for each subspecialty in the

coming 12 months to match the recent advances in

respective subspecialty.

Subspecialty Committee

Public Relations & Information Resources

Committee

8 DialOGue

The list of experts nominated by the Council in 2013 was

endorsed.

General Gynecology


Dr CHEUNG Kai Bun

Prof. CHUNG Kwok Hung Tony

General Obstetrics

Dr LAM Yung Hang

Dr LEE Chin Peng

Dr LI Fuk Him Dominic

Gynecological Oncology

Dr CHEUNG Tak Hong


Dr NG Tong Yow

Dr TAM Kar Fai

Obstetrical & Gynecological Ultrasound

Dr LAU Tze Kin

Dr SO Wai Ki William

Dr WOO Sai Kit Joseph

Reproductive Medicine

Prof. HAINES Christopher

Prof. HO Pak Chung

Dr NG Hung Yu Ernest

Maternal and Fetal Medicine



Dr LAU Tze Kin

Dr TANG Hoi Yin Mary

Urogynecology


Dr LAU Chung Ting


ELECTION TO FELLOWSHIP

The following members were elected to FHKCOG based on

recommendations from the Fellowship Section Committee

Dr CHAN Man Chi

Dr CHAN Yuen Mei

Dr CHENG Mei Chi

Dr CHEUNG Yuk Tong

Dr HUI Shuk Yi Annie

Dr KONG Choi Wah

Dr LAI Wing Sze

Dr LAM Lap Po

Dr LEUNG Kit Tong

Dr TAM Wing Kei

Dr TUNG Chi Wai

Dr WONG Kit Wah

Dr WOO Hui Man Helen

Dr YAU Pui Kei Stephanie

Dr YEUNG Sik Wing

It was proposed that Review Committee handle all

appeals from our trainees, members and fellows for all

College matters.

For appeals that could not be settled by the relevant

Committees / Boards, Council might request the Review

Committee to look into the issue.

The membership applications of the following doctors

Fellowship Selection Committee

Review Committee

Election of New Members

9 DialOGue

were approved by the Council:

Dr CHAI Yu Ka

Dr CHEUNG Ka Wang

Dr CHOW Kei Man

Dr CHUNG Wai Hang

Dr FONG Pik Lau

Dr FUNG Wen Ying Linda

Dr HO Ka Wai

Dr LAW Jessica Yun Pui

Dr LEE Ho Sze Jacqueline

Dr LEE Hui Ling Helena

Dr MATSUZONO Tomoko

Dr TAM Ching Ting

Dr WAN Hei Lok Tiffany

Dr YUNG Shuk Fei

The 25th Annual General Meeting was held at the Pao Yue

Kong Auditorium at the HKAM premises on 20th June

2013.

During the Annual General Meeting, the following were

confirmed and passed:

1) Minutes of the 24th Annual General Meeting held in

June 2012;

2) The Balance sheet and Accounts and the 2012 Report

of the Auditors;

3) The 2012 Annual Report of the Council ;

4) Re‐appointment and consideration of the

remuneration of the auditors, YH Tsang & Co for 2013;

and

5) Re‐appointment of the Honorary Legal Advisor, Mr

Woody CHANG for 2013.

Right after the Annual General Meeting, we were honored

to have the guest speech by Dr KO Wing Man, BBS, JP,

Secretary for Food and Health, Food and Health Bureau,

HKSAR.

Dr KO Wing Man, BBS, JP, delivering his speech

In the Conferment Ceremony that followed, Dr TANG

Chang Hung Lawrence and Prof LO Yuk Ming Dennis were

admitted as Honorary Fellows of our College. The LC HO

Award was presented to Dr LAU So Ling.

Citation for Prof. LO Yuk Ming Dennis (Prof.

LEUNG Tak Yeung)

“ Professor Yuk Ming Dennis LO is currently the Director of

the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Associate

Dean (Research), Faculty of Medicine, Li Ka Shing

Professor of Medicine and Professor of Chemical

Pathology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Professor LO is recognized today around the world as an

authority who made non‐invasive prenatal diagnostics a

reality. To date, he had contributed over 300 publications

with total citations of 13,520 and an h‐index of 63.

25th Annual General Meeting

10 DialOGue

Prof. LEUNG Tak Yeung giving his citation for Prof. Dennis

LO

Reflecting upon his childhood, it seems that Professor LO

was destined to be a scientist since his youngest days.

Some of his earliest experiments involved insects and

small animals found wondering around his Kowloon home

which became his research subjects and were recruited

without informed consent. As a school boy, Scientific

American, National Geographic and Discover were among

the journals on his regular subscription list. It was through

these readings that he learned of the great works of the

scientific giants. He read about Charles DARWIN’s theory

of natural selection, pondered upon the garden pea

experiments conducted by Gregor MENDEL that revealed

the laws of inheritance, and gazed at the black and white

photograph where James WATSON and Francis CRICK

posed with a model of the DNA double helix. These iconic

stories captivated the young Dennis, who then was

determined to enter into medical school to learn the

wonders of human biology. In 1983, he was accepted into

the University of Cambridge where lecture hours were few.

Instead, students spent most of their time engaged in

open‐ended conversations with professors while being

nurtured in the academic atmosphere. After completing a

student thesis on gene cloning, Professor LO moved to the

University of Oxford for the remainder of his medical

studies.

It was here at Oxford that Professor LO had his first taste

of academic research. While attending an outpatient clinic

session as a medical student, he made an observation

where there was no explanation in the textbooks. He

developed his query into a hypothesis and proposed it to

his clinical tutor who replied with skepticism saying,

“Dennis, if you could think of this, I’m sure that others

would have thought of this already”. Driven by curiosity,

Professor LO spent hours turning the pages of volumes of

index medicus (the hard copy version of what is known as

Medline now) and found that there were only four earlier

case reports, confirming that his observations were

indeed correct though rare. His manuscript reporting

these observations were later published in the Journal of

Clinical Gastroenterology.

The hobby of scientific pursuit soon became a vocation.

Even years before Professor LO’s graduation from Bachelor

of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 1989, he was

already heavily involved in laboratory research.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) had just been invented

around this time and Professor LO learned this art first

hand from the pioneers, namely Sir John BELL, the current

Regius Chair of Medicine at Oxford University. Not only

did Professor LO master the art, he was the first to report

the problem of PCR contamination which all laboratories

nowadays have to safeguard against.

After graduation, Professor LO pursued Doctor of

Philosophy training under the supervision of Professor

James WAINSCOAT. He was awarded the highly

competitive Wellcome Medical Graduate Fellowship.

Motivated by reports on the presence of fetal cells in the

circulation of pregnant women, in 1989, Professor LO used

a PCR assay to target DNA on the Y chromosome to

provide the first molecular proof of the presence of fetal

cells in maternal whole blood. This was his first experience

with non‐invasive prenatal diagnostic research. However,

due to the scarcity of intact fetal cells in maternal blood,

researchers spent decades of efforts without much

progress and have coined the pursuit of non‐invasive

prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome as the Holy Grail of

11 DialOGue

the field.

In the mid‐1990s, publications emerged showing that

cancer‐specific genetic changes can be detected among

cell‐free DNA found floating in the plasma of cancer

patients. Being a lecturer at the Nuffield Department of

Clinical Biochemistry at Oxford at the time, Professor LO

took a note of those intriguing studies. He started to draw

analogies between a growing cancer and a growing fetus.

Both are parasitic on its hosts, both enjoy high growth

rates and the placenta is an invasive organ. Professor LO

hypothesised whether cell‐free fetal DNA existed in the

plasma of pregnant women. It was between his transfer

from Oxford to The Chinese University of Hong Kong to

become a senior lecturer at the Department of Chemical

Pathology, when he began his experiments. He collected

peripheral blood from pregnant women, removed the

blood cells by centrifugation to obtain plasma. He then

extracted DNA by simply boiling the plasma samples, what

he described as like cooking instant noodles, and applied

the PCR assay for detecting chromosome Y DNA

sequences. To much of his surprise, positive signals were

revealed in front of his eyes. In a state of disbelief, he

worried if the positive signals of male DNA were from

himself due to the phenomenon of PCR contamination

which he first reported as a medical student. Only after

the same results were shown after the experiments were

repeated by a female student, then he realised the vast

implications of his novel finding. The data of these earliest

experiments were reported as an article titled, Presence

of fetal DNA in maternal plasma and serum, in the Lancet

in 1997 which has been cited over 700 times to date.

With his newly established laboratory in Hong Kong, he

was ready to fully explore the new field that he had

founded. He reported that cell‐free fetal DNA was present

at a surprisingly high amount of some 10% of all DNA in

maternal plasma. He showed that fetal DNA was rapidly

cleared from maternal plasma after delivery and that fetal

DNA circulated in a highly fragmented form. The fetal DNA

concentration increased with pregnancy associated

complications such as preeclampsia and preterm labour.

He was the first to show the existence of fetal RNA and

fetal epigenetic markers in maternal plasma.

Determined to reach the Holy Grail in non‐invasive

prenatal diagnosis, Professor LO and his team set an

ambitious goal to develop approaches for the direct

detection of fetal Down syndrome through maternal

plasma DNA analysis that could be applied to all

pregnancies. In 2007, Professor LO was the first to use

single molecule counting techniques to measure the

increase in maternal plasma chromosome 21 content that

is associated with fetal Down syndrome. In 2008, the team

adopted the use of next‐generation sequencing for the

non‐invasive detection of Down syndrome. This protocol

was subsequently confirmed by large‐scale validation

studies from multiple research groups that it offered 99%

sensitivity and specificity for Down syndrome detection.

The team further refined the protocol to also achieve

accurate detection of trisomy 18 and trisomy 13. Due to

the high accuracy and robustness of the protocol, the test

became available as a clinical service in end of 2011. The

launch of the service was shortly met by a rapid surge in

clinical demand. In December 2012, the American College

of Obstetricians and Gynecologists published a set of

recommendations supporting the use of the cell‐free fetal

DNA non‐invasive test as a screening test for trisomy 21,

trisomy 18 and trisomy 13 among pregnancies deemed to

be at high risk for these aneuploidies. Similar

recommendations have since been issued by the

American College of Medical Geneticists and the

International Society of Prenatal Diagnosis.

To date, the cell‐free fetal DNA non‐invasive prenatal

screening test is available in more than 15 countries

around the world. Because the test has a false‐positive

rate < 0.5%, which is 10 times lower than the conventional

aneuploidy screening tests, the number of pregnancies

undergoing invasive prenatal diagnostic procedures is

12 DialOGue

predicted to reduce substantially. A paradigm shift in the

practice of prenatal diagnosis has been set. Yet, one is just

witnessing the beginning of an era of non‐invasive

prenatal diagnostics. The profile of non‐invasive prenatal

diagnostic tests is destined to expand because more

recently, Professor LO’s team has achieved the direct

assessment of the fetal molecular karyotype, the

assembly of the fetal genome, the detection of single

gene diseases and the determination of twin zygosity; all

through the analysis of cell‐free DNA in maternal plasma.

For these seminal discoveries, Professor LO was awarded

the 2002 Avadesh Saran Memorial Oration Award ; 2005

State Natural Science Award of the People’s Republic of

China in 2005; 2006 International Federation of Clinical

Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Abbott Award for

Outstanding Contribution to Molecular Diagnostics; 2006

U.S. National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry,

Distinguished Scientist Award; 2006 Cheung Kong Scholars

Achievement Award, Ministry of Education, China; 2009

Fulbright Distinguished Scholar Award; 2012 American

Association of Clinical Chemistry Outstanding

Contributions to Clinical Chemistry in a Selected Area of

Research and 2013 World Academy of Sciences Ernesto

Illy Trieste Science Prize award.

Professor LO is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians

(Edinburgh), Royal College of Physicians (London), Royal

College of Pathologists and Honorary Fellow of the Hong

Kong College of Pathologists. To top this list of

distinguished accolades, in 2012 Professor LO was made a

Fellow of the Royal Society, the world’s oldest learned

society dating from 1660; and just two months ago,

Professor LO became a Fellow of the National Academy of

Sciences of the USA. Fellow and guests, I hereby present

to you our Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong College of

Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Professor Yuk Ming

Dennis LO. ”

Prof Dennis LO being conferred Honorary Fellow

Citation for Dr TANG Chang Hung Lawrence (Dr

LEUNG Wing Cheong)

“Dr Lawrence TANG graduated from The University of

Hong Kong in 1975 and joined the Department of O&G,

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) as a Medical Officer in

1976 and became a Lecturer in 1978. He completed his

O&G training and became Member of the RCOG in 1980

and then Fellow in 1995. Dr TANG had overseas training in

Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility in University of

Birmingham and University of London in 1980/81.

Afterwards, he continued to be a Lecturer in The

University of Hong Kong until 1985 before he went to

University of Birmingham as a Clinical Lecturer. In 1990, Dr

TANG was promoted to Senior Lecturer in University of

London. In 1991, he went back to Hong Kong and worked

as a Consultant in O&G in Princess Margaret Hospital. In

1993, Dr TANG was appointed as Chief of Service and

Consultant in Department of O&G, Kwong Wah Hospital

(including Our Lady of Maryknoll Hospital from 2002). He

was also appointed as Honorary Clinical Professor,

Department of O&G, The University of Hong Kong, from

1997. In 2005, Dr TANG was appointed as Hospital Chief

Executive of Kwong Wah Hospital and Wong Tai Sin

Hospital. Dr TANG remains active after his retirement in

2011. He was appointed as the Senior Advisor for the

Redevelopment Project of Kwong Wah Hospital, Honorary

Project Director of Shenzhen Binhai Hospital Project (The

13 DialOGue

University of Hong Kong), Honorary Medical Director of

Community Health and Medical Services (Tung Wah Group

of Hospitals), Honorary Consultant of the Association

Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women (Rainlily) and

Honorary Senior Advisor to the Dean (Affiliate Teaching

Hospital System, HKU). He also worked as a part‐time

O&G Consultant in Kwong Wah Hospital. In June 2013, he

is appointed Clinical Professor of Health Care

Management Practice and Director of Hospital

Development Project at HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine as

well as Honorary Advisor to the Hong Kong College of

Midwives.

Dr LEUNG Wing Cheong giving his citation for Dr Lawrence TANG

Despite the heavy commitment in administrative and

professional clinical service, Dr TANG maintains his

subspecialty interest in the area of Reproductive Medicine.

He is an accredited subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine

by HKCOG in 2009. He got his MD (HKU) in 1988 with the

thesis entitled: The Hamster zona‐free ova penetration

assay – study of human spermatozoa fertilizing capacity in

male fertility and infertility. 20 years later, he had a 2nd

thesis entitled: The healthy city and safe community

project in Wong Tai Sin District, for the Fellowships of the

Hong Kong College of Health Service Executives and the

Australasian College of Health Service management in

2008. His academic output included more than 140 papers

in peer‐reviewed journals, book chapters, practice

guidelines, editorials and letters. Dr TANG had delivered

more than 50 invited lectures in O&G as well as health

services management. He was the Editor‐in‐chief of The

Hong Kong Journal of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and

Midwifery (1998‐2005). He also served as an editorial

board member and expert reviewer for a number of local

and international journals. Dr TANG had extensive

undergraduate and postgraduate teaching experience,

both in Hong Kong and United Kingdom.

Dr TANG was the President of our College 2004‐2006,

President of The Obstetrical and Gynaecological Society of

Hong Kong 1997‐1999, Vice‐President of The Hong Kong

College of Health Service Executives 2011‐2013, and

Vice‐President of The Hong Kong Menopause Society

2004‐2006. He was also the founding Council member of a

number of Societies including The Hong Kong

Gynaecological Endoscopy Society, The Hong Kong Society

for Reproductive Medicine, The Hong Kong Menopause

Society and The Osteoporosis Society of Hong Kong. Dr

TANG had been the chairman and member of various

committees under the Hospital Authority, The Hong Kong

College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Hong Kong

Academy of Medicine, The Obstetrical and Gynaecological

Society of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Medical Association,

The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Santorium & Hospital Ltd., Council on Human

Reproductive Technology Hong Kong and many others. He

also sat on various International Advisory Panels such as

FIGO Advisory Panels on Reproductive Medicine and

Contraception 2001‐2006.

Dr TANG is no doubt an all‐rounded senior Fellow of our

College. His international professional experience, his

dedication and commitment to public patient service,

academic profile, strict discipline and high quality

requirement for patient benefit, his contribution to

training and education, his ability on hospital and health

services management and development, all serve as a

very good example for us to follow. ”

14 DialOGue

Dr Lawrence TANG being conferred Honorary Fellow

After Dr LEUNG Kwok Ling Ares’ concluding remark, it was

the annual dinner. Our talented trainees started the show

with “Trainees 之心路歷程 ”, a video and singing

performance. Dr Belinda LEUNG and Dr Jimmy MAK’s

singing duet, “日與夜” and “來日方長” were just as

wonderful, yet with a completely different flavor. Then,

the “Minute to Win” game brought the fun to new heights.

Indulged in Elvis Presley’s classics by Dr YOUNG Siu Sun,

our Fellows, Members & guests soon realized the night

had gone by too quickly.

HKCOG has got talent. (1)



Elvis Presley alive (by Dr YOUNG Siu Sun)

15 DialOGue

Invited guest Prof LAU Chak Sing enjoying the show

The future Fellow.

United, our College is strong.

The Postgraduate Seminar was held at the Hong Kong

Academy of Medicine on 10th March 2013. The Organizing

Committee consisted of Dr AU YEUNG Kam Chuen Sidney

(Chairman), Dr MA Wei Ling Teresa, Prof. NG Hung Yu

Ernest, and Dr TAM Wing Hung.

Prof. Rossa CHIU, from Department of Chemical Pathology,

Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Dr Raymond SM

WONG, Consultant and Acting Head of Division of

Hematology, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, The

Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Dr Ivan LO, Senior

Medical & Health Officer, and Deputy Laboratory Director,

Clinical Genetic Service, Department of Health were the

invited speakers.

Immediately after Dr Ares LEUNG’s Opening Address. Prof

Rossa CHIU’s update us on non‐invasive prenatal screening

of Down syndrome. This was followed by Dr LEE Chin

Peng’s talk on Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization

(aCGH) in prenatal diagnosis and Dr Ivan LO’s sharing on

counseling before and after a genetic test.

Prof. Rossa CHIU

Dr Ivan LO

Postgraduate Seminar (March 2013)

16 DialOGue

Dr Raymond WONG kicked off the second session with

management and prophylaxis of venous

thromboembolism. Dr Tracy YEUNG’s presentation on

recurrent miscarriage soon followed. The session ended

with Dr CHEUNG Lai Ping’s update and review on infertility

management.

Dr Raymond WONG

After lunch, the audience was inspired by Dr LAU Wai

Lam’s presentation on successful conservative

management of placenta accrete. Then, Ms Jessie LAI

brought wih us her precious experience in Medicins Sans

Frontieres (MSF). This is followed by Dr Rachel CHEUNG’s

experience sharing on pelvic floor mesh repair. The

seminar ended with Dr Ares LEUNG’s overview on

manpower planning in Obstetrics & Gynecology service.

Attentive audience

HKAM 20th ANNIVERSARY

The HKAM 20th Anniversary Congress will be held from

8th‐10th December 2013. Our College has been assigned

the following sessions:

(1) Application of whole genome technologies in prenatal

diagnosis / preimplantation diagnosis – what does it

mean to clinicians? (by Dr Anita KAN)

(2) Proficiencies and training in medical genetics – what

does it take? (by Prof. TY LEUNG)

MILK PRODUCT PROMOTION CODE OF

PRACTICE

Our College was consulted by Hong Kong Academy of

Medicine on the proposed Code of Practice concerning

milk products. After prolonged discussion, the Council

agreed on the followings.

(1) HKCOG supports breast feeding.

(2) Health‐related information given to the lay public

must be accurate and evidence‐based.

(3) Healthcare professionals should not receive

sponsorship linked to breast‐milk substitutes.

Hong Kong Code of Marketing and Quality of

Formula Milk and Related Products, and Food

Products for Infants & Young Children

Based on the above stance, the College has made the

following reply to the Taskforce.

‐ The HKCOG fully supports breastfeeding.

‐ Contents of all health related advertisements should

be based on evidence. The synthesized total message

of information delivered to the lay public should also

HKAM Matters

17 DialOGue

be appropriate.

‐ It is appropriate to discourage healthcare

professionals from accepting direct personal benefits

and sponsorship from manufacturers and distributors

of formula milk and related products.

‐ In many places in the world, formula milk and related

products are used as nutritional supplements for

children. While Hong Kong citizens also treasure their

freedom of access to information, some parties may

consider it necessary to ensure appropriateness of

information provided to the lay public. There may be

utility to establish mechanisms to advise accuracy and

appropriateness of message.

The HKAM conducted a public relations exercise at the

end of February. Dr Ares LEUNG and Dr Sidney AU YEUNG

attended the event and expressed the views on behalf of

our College.

COUNCIL DINNER WITH GUESTS

Young distinguished Fellows who had received honors or

awards from Colleges would be invited to join HKAM

Council for a dinner to recognize their achievement and to

let them feel more associated with the Academy.

It was agreed that our outstanding Immediate‐Past Chair

of the Trainee Subcommittee, Dr Helen WOO, would be

invited to the dinner.

Dr Ares LEUNG, on behalf of our College, attended the

Annual Fellowship Conferment of the Provisional Hong

Kong Academy of Nursing cum Nursing Charter on

Tobacco Control Signing Ceremony and Celebration Dinner

of International Nurses Day 2013.

Notification of retirement was received from the following

Fellows:

Dr SIT Chun Yue

Dr YANG Nwe Nwe Mon Noreen

Retired Fellowship

Other Events

DialOGue2013

ChiefEditor: DrLOTszKin

EditorialBoard: DrNGKwunSinVivian

DrYUNGWaiKuen

ADDRESS: Room805,HongKongAcademy

ofMedicineBuilding,99Wong

ChukHangRoad,Aberdeen,

HongKong

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT - HKCOG...I feel particularly honoured to be College President at her 25th Anniversary. I would like to take this chance to once again congratulate the two