Editor’s Letter
What is hope? A dictionary definition will tell you that hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. In the past year and a half, the world has been plagued by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, hope is what many of us are holding on to get us out of the woods. Hope for an effective vaccine, hope for a cure, hope that everything will go back to the way it was, pre-COVID times. What then gives us hope? The confidence that pharmaceutical companies and researchers are working hard using scientific evidence the bring this situation to a stop. The confidence that our government will implement sufficient policies to ensure that its people are protected from the spread of this novel coronavirus. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues its long-drawn spread throughout the world, other diseases are still in need of attention.
In our Features for this month, we have an article contribution by Dr Jonathan Teh, a Consultant Radiation Oncologist at Asian Alliance Radiation & Oncology (AARO) on how SBRT can provide hope for inoperable kidney cancer. (p. 20) Also in the Features section, we commemorate World Health Day with Viatris. (p. 24)
In the Columns section, look at how the microbiome can be a gateway to wellness in an article contribution by Daniel Ramón Vidal, Vice President of R&D Health & Wellness at ADM. (p. 12) Also, explore how artificial intelligence and advanced analytics can help in enhancing clinical trial process. (p. 16)
In the Spotlights section, we interviewed Jeong Jae Youn, Country Manager for GE Healthcare Singapore & Emerging ASEAN to dive into mammograms and ultrasound methods used for early detection of signs of breast cancer (p. 28)
Hope has both a positive and negative connotation. In view of my last issue as editor of APBN, I would like to apply optimistic hope that the future of APBN will thrive in the hands of the new editor. Thank you to all our readers for the continued support during my time as the editor and I hope you extend the same support to my successor.
Deborah Emmanuel SEAH Qing En
Editor