Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Neurology, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Neurology, Prasat Neurological Institute, Bangkok, Thailand
  • 3 Terumo BCT Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
  • 4 Laboratory Sciences and Services Division (LSSD), The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • 5 The Regional MS Center, Center for Neurological Disorders, Wheaton Franciscan Health Care, Milwaukee, WI, USA
  • 6 Department of Neurology, Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital/Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia
  • 7 Department of Neurology, National Neuroscience Institute, Singapore, Singapore
  • 8 Brunei Neuroscience Stroke and Research Centre, Pantai Jerudong Specialist Centre, Brunei Darussalam, Brunei
  • 9 Department of Neurology, National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
  • 10 Biomed Global, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 11 Global Medical Affairs, TerumoBCT, Brussels, Belgium
  • 12 Department of Neurology, Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital, Alor Setar, Malaysia
  • 13 Division of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
  • 14 Department of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 15 Department of Neurology, University of medicine 1/Yangon General Hospital, Yangon, Myanmar
  • 16 Health Economic and Market Access, Terumo BCT Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore
Ther Apher Dial, 2019 Jun;23(3):289-297.
PMID: 30927331 DOI: 10.1111/1744-9987.12806

Abstract

In conjunction with the third regional Southeast Asian (SEA) therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 25 clinicians and researchers from SEA and South Asian countries attended the inaugural strategy meeting for the establishment of a regional TPE consortium for neurological disorders. The primary objective was to establish regional collaboration to improve delivery of TPE services in SEA. A pre-meeting survey was conducted to gather insights on disease spectrum, contextual practice challenges, and the need for a regional TPE consensus. Challenges identified include limited healthcare funding in support of diagnostic workup, TPE therapy, as well as development of clinical infrastructure and expertise capacity building. There was favorable interest in developing a working plan contextualized to this region. Strategies to overcome challenges were discussed. This included the need for a comprehensive referral system and network of regional TPE centers suited to local needs, supported by innovative TPE delivery programs.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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