China's first, and the world's second, pediatric Undiagnosed Diseases Program center was founded in Shanghai recently.
China's first, and the world's second, pediatric Undiagnosed Diseases Program center was founded in Shanghai recently.
Having a sick child is heart-breaking. But it's even worse when you don't know if the child's sickness is treatable.
Limited facilities, resources, and experienced doctors means thousands of cases are declared undiagnosed in China every year.
"Undiagnosed cases mainly refer to those sicknesses or symptoms without a confirmed cause. It needs a team, a platform, and a mechanism to help the patient, to treat an undiagnosed case at a clinical base," said Wang Yi, medical deputy chief of Fudan University Affiliated Pediatric Hospital.
China's first UDP center has been established in the pediatric hospital affiliated to Fudan university, Shanghai. It liaises with US pediatric hospitals in Boston, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and Duke University. Information and samples from undiagnosed cases from all over China will be sent through the medical network to the UDP center for further examination. A group of experienced pediatricians from over 60 clinical sections will then hold consultation meetings, or discuss with American UDP pediatricians, before delivering a diagnosis.
"It saves lives and helps the children recover. Also, it's a huge leap in the development of pediatric clinics, as well as cooperation between China and the US on clinical medical treatment," said Huang GUoying, chief of Fudan University Affiliated Pediatric Hospital.
