With the arrival of spring, the 13th National Conference on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation of the Chinese Medical Association, hosted by the National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases and organized by Peking University Institute of Hematology, was grandly held in Beijing from March 1st to 2nd. This conference centered around the basic and clinical research of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, covering multiple themes. During the conference, Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier had the honor to invite Professor Depei Wu from the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University for an interview, sharing challenges in the medical and health field and hopes for the younger generation.
Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier: Young experts from all over the country gathered at this conference to discuss the current status and development of diagnosis and treatment in the field of hematology. What are your hopes for the young generation of hematologists?
Professor Depei Wu: I hope that the younger generation can adhere to the concept of “inheritance, innovation, and development” and continue to promote the progress of hematology. In this regard, Academician Huang Xiaojun has set a great example for us. Peking University People’s Hospital is a pioneering unit in Asia for bone marrow transplantation. As early as 1964, Academician Lu Daopei successfully performed the first bone marrow transplantation in Asia, establishing the transplantation platform in Beijing.
Academician Huang Xiaojun, carrying forward the past and creating new peaks, has won new developments through innovation. On this basis, he led the team to create a haploidentical transplantation scheme (also known as a half-matched transplantation scheme), which was named the “Beijing Protocol” by the World Marrow Transplantation Association and enjoys a worldwide reputation. Currently, Academician Huang and his team are committed to conducting big data research on hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in China, aiming to make a louder “Chinese voice.” This is not only an example for young doctors but also an encouragement for all of us.
Oncology Frontier – Hematology Frontier: The National Two Sessions of 2024 are about to convene. As a representative of the Two Sessions, to promote the benign development of the medical and health field and contribute to the construction of Healthy China, what problems do you think need to be urgently addressed in the current development of medical and health care? Could you please share this year’s proposal and its original intention?
Professor Depei Wu: The medical and health field indeed faces many challenges, from a macro perspective, such as elderly care and declining birth rates. As a member of the medical and health community, we are mainly concerned with medical issues, such as reproductive protection and germ cell cryopreservation before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Currently, this issue has not been truly resolved. Beijing is piloting it, but it may not yet be open in other places. Medicine needs to address how to preserve patients’ fertility before treatment and promote the establishment of legal systems in this regard.
In addition, egg freezing is one of the important means for women to preserve fertility. However, there is still a lack of relevant laws, regulations, and ethical norms in China, and there is a huge unmet demand. Our hematologic patients, especially female patients of childbearing age, often face the problem of fertility preservation before undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. For patients who cannot conceive naturally, how to use medical technology to help them realize their fertility wishes involves complex ethical and legal issues, which is also a problem worthy of attention and requires joint discussion from the whole society.
In terms of the development of the biomedical industry, I have been focusing on how to provide policy support for the full-chain open cooperation of the innovation chain of biomedical innovation, especially in the research and development of new drugs. We need to protect the intellectual property rights of innovative drugs to ensure that enterprises have the motivation and enthusiasm for innovation to sustain development. At the same time, regarding the problem of overcapacity in some equipment and drugs in China, how to achieve orderly development is also something we need to pay attention to. In terms of international cooperation, with the advancement of the “Belt and Road” initiative, how can we expand the international market while ensuring domestic demand? For example, how our innovative achievements such as Zebutinib and other drugs can achieve greater success in the international market.
These are the issues of my proposal this year. In short, I hope that through our efforts, we can make contributions to the healthy development of the medical and health field.
Professor Depei Wu
Chief Physician, Professor, Doctoral Supervisor
Director of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
Executive Deputy Director of the National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases
Vice President of Jiangsu Institute of Hematology
Director of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Research Institute of Soochow University
Member of the 13th and 14th National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC)
Director of the Hematology Branch Committee of the Chinese Medical Association and Leader of the National Experimental Diagnosis Group
Member of the Global Committee of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT)
Vice President of the Hematology Physician Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association
Vice Chairman of the Expert Committee of the Chinese Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donor Database
Executive Committee Member of the Internal Medicine Branch of the Chinese Medical Association
Editor-in-Chief of the “Chinese Journal of Hematology” and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of J Hematol Oncol
