Thyroid disease explained

The China Thyroid Disease Education Program, jointly supported by International Health Exchange and Cooperation Centre and Switzerland-based Merck Serono, was officially launched recently.

The three-year program includes projects on doctor training, a thyroid disease epidemiology survey, and public education on the disease. Total investment could be as high as 26 billion yuan.

For the doctor education project, six training centers will be set up in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Wuhan, and Chongqing, and 900 doctors in local hospitals engaged in endocrine divisions are expected to participate.

The epidemiology survey will provide an updated clinical database for professional researchers and doctors. It will cover 15,000 citizens in 10 key cities over three years.

Public education is highlighted in this program, given the relatively high rate of thyroid disease in China and common cases of treatment delay. As many Chinese people know little about the endocrine disease, they will not seek medical help and have no prevention knowledge.

A hotline and a website to provide medical information were launched early this year. And education lessons will be held soon in communities nationwide.

(China Daily 03/30/2009 page10)