On February 22, 2024, KKU Faculty of Medicine held a press conference to showcase MDKKU’s leadership in synthetic research, evidence-patient treatment, and research contributions in Thailand and abroad. The press conference was led by Assoc. Prof. Apichat Jiravuttipong, MD, Dean of KKU Faculty of Medicine, Professor Pisake Lumbiganon, MD, and Associate Professor Wimorat Sriraj, MD, Associate Dean for Research and International Relations Affairs.
Assoc. Prof. Jiravuttipong said, “The Faculty of Medicine has placed importance on “Evidence–Based Medicine (EBM)” which involves selecting treatment methods using “evidence” from research. It is a discipline closely related to health technology assessment and involves several aspects. The focus is on providing it in the Faculty of Medicine curriculum. We now have over 20 years of collaboration with international organizations in conducting synthetic research in Thailand and Asia.”
Prof. Pisake Lumbiganon stated, “My team and I established the Thai Cochrane Network in 2002 before developing it into Cochrane Thailand, based in MDKKU. We are firmly committed to producing and disseminating evidence–based research as guidelines for health care decision–making, focusing on not only local but also global impacts. Our appointment as a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research Synthesis in Reproductive Health in 2014, and as a WHO HRP Alliance Hub to strengthen research capacity for countries in the Southeast Asia Region (WHO/SEARO) in 2017, reaffirms our commitment to driving global change. We have contributed to the synthesis of more than 50 research studies to inform the development of patient care guidelines by the World Health Organization (WHO recommendations).”
He also added, “Cochrane’s strength lies in the collaborative work of Cochrane representatives from countries around the world to support the use of research evidence from Cochrane to inform health policies and practices. Additionally, we have translated over 1,000 abstracts and plain language summaries of Cochrane Reviews, because we believe language should not be a barrier to accessing health care information. Hands–on training workshops on Cochrane Reviews and using related software are provided to interested researchers both in Thailand and abroad (including Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka). Over the past 20 years of operation, Cochrane Thailand has received funding support from Khon Kaen University, the Thailand Research Fund or TRF, and the World Health Organization.”
Assoc. Prof. Sriraj reported, “The research Division supports evidence–based medical research alongside the development of medical personnel, aiming for doctors to choose the best and most appropriate treatments for patients based on the most reliable evidence available, leading to effective health policies and practices for all Thais to access and benefit from.”
Reporting by Sathaphorn Onlamun
Editing by Prof. John F Smith