Introduction and History

The Hong Kong Thoracic Society Limited was incorporated as a limited company under the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance on 21st October 1986 and inaugurated on 13th August 1987. Before that, continued medical education programme on thoracic medicine was used to be organized by the Hong Kong and Macau Chapter of the American College of Chest Physicians formed in the early 60's. The Hong Kong Thoracic Society was founded by a group of physicians with special interest in thoracic medicine, they recognized the increasing number of physicians and surgeons who are having special interest in thoracic diseases and the need to form different subspecialty societies and associations locally. We received sponsorship from a pharmaceutical company and a donation of HK$10,000 from an unnamed patient who was cured after a thoracic operation. So no financial difficulty was faced towards the formation of the Society.

The Society works along with the following objects:-

1. To promote the advancement of study of thoracic diseases.

2. To coordinate and correlate the efforts of organizations, companies, associations, societies, institutions, statutory bodies and other authorities and individuals interested in the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of thoracic diseases with a view to reduce morbidity and mortality in Hong Kong.

3. To promote, foster, develop and assist medical and allied profession in the study of and the acquisition, dissemination and application of knowledge and information concerning the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of thoracic disease.

a.  To encourage, stimulate and aid research and investigations.

b.  To stimulate public interest and provide public education.

c.  To encourage, assist and arrange for medical practitioners, scientist, students and others to come to Hong Kong for the purposes of research and study and for the purposes of teaching and demonstrating theory and practice and to travel aboard and engage in research, study and training and to gain experiences, all in the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of thoracic diseases.

During the first year of establishment of the Society, there was only about eighty ordinary and associate members. The Society by used to hold scientific meetings or seminars once every six weeks. Overseas renown physicians and scientist were invited to deliver talks. The following year the society decided to organize and host joint meetings and symposia with the ACCP (HK & Macau Chapter). Most meetings were very educational and well attended, particularly the 13th Asian Pacific Congress on Diseases of the Chest in 1994 and the 1st Forum on Allergy in 1995. Currently the Society consists of a total of over 500 members. 50% are medical and 50% are paramedical, and membership continues to grow

Hong Kong Thoracic Society Limited