Thalassaemia 97 : programme & abstracts

Abstract

On behalf of the Organising Committee and the Thalassaemia International Federation, we have the honour of welcoming you to Malta and the 6th International Meeting on Thalassaemia and the Haemoglobinopathies and the 8th Parent and Thalassaemics International Conference. We have worked hard over the last few months to present you with a selection of advanced contributions from leading investigators in the field of Thalassaemia research and from prominent physicians who provide high quality clinical services for our patients and who will share their experiences with us. As you can see from the programme we shall review most areas in which rapid progress has been made in our understanding of basic mechanisms of disease. A few of these open rather exciting opportunities for intervention at the level of the gene and on gene expression. Progress in research methods is now translated into highly sophisticated methods for laboratory diagnosis of disease while equally exciting progress is made in the availability of new advanced procedures suitable for prevention and the management of patients. The first half of the programme which covers the first two days is mainly dedicated to scientific progress in understanding basic mechanisms of disease and innovative procedures that may be considered still in the experimental stage of development. The second half is mainly clinically oriented. The sessions include coverage of new parenteral and oral chelators, other biotherapeutics, management of infections, advances in transplantation, new understanding of bone disease and the psychosocial context of hereditary chronic disease. As in previous occasions, the parallel meetings of the Thalassaemia International Federation and the Thalassaemia Associations from many countries will provide opportunities for patients, their families and support groups to keep abreast of current developments. We hope that in the course of your stay you will find time to enjoy the scenic and cultural attractions of the location and of Malta. St. Paul's Bay is historically the site where St. Paul was shipwrecked on his way to Rome. We like to pride ourselves that St. Paul acknowledged the kind hospitality of the people in the Acts of the Apostles and we hope that you will be equally impressed. St. Paul's Bay is close to the sanctuary pt Mellieha which hosts the miraculous painting of the Madonna accorded to the physician St. Luke and to whom the teaching hospital of our Faculty of Medicine is dedicated. Malta is very small. Consequently, other attractions such as the Neolithic temples at Hagar Qim and the walled cities of Valletta, Mdina and Cottonera are hardly an hour's ride from the site of the conference. We hope that you will find the conference contents intellectually satisfying, that you will join much of the social programme that has been laid down for you and that your stay in Malta will be enjoyable. On your behalf we would like to thank the many colleagues on the organising committee, at NSTS Travel International and many others who have helped to make the meeting a success. We are also grateful to the organisations and companies that have contributed financially to our meeting.