The preparatory working meeting of the Preparatory Committee of the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society was successfully held
On March 6, 2025, the "Preparatory Work Conference of the Preparatory Committee of the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society" was successfully held, hosted by the Preparatory Committee of the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society. This meeting has laid a solid foundation for the official establishment of the branch and the subsequent work. Xu Xiaodong, vice president and secretary-general of the Chinese Society of Geriatrics, Yu Pulin, vice president, and Zhao Jicheng, deputy Secretary-General, attended the meeting. Zeng Xiaofeng, the chairperson of the Preparatory Committee of the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch of the Chinese Geriatrics Society, and 16 experts from the rheumatology and immunology departments of many hospitals and research institutions across the country attended the meeting, aiming to pool their wisdom and efforts to jointly promote the establishment of the branch.
Professor Zeng Xiaofeng's Speech: With perseverance and dedication, we are drawing a new blueprint for the development of our discipline
Professor Zeng Xiaofeng first stated that as the degree of population aging in our country continues to deepen, the health issues of the elderly have become a focus of social concern. Among them, rheumatic and immune diseases are highly prevalent among the elderly and seriously threaten the quality of life. Currently, the number of patients with rheumatic and immune diseases exceeds 200 million, and the proportion of elderly patients is extremely high. Its complexity and frequent occurrence have brought challenges to clinical diagnosis and treatment as well as medical research. It also confirms the importance of the discipline at the same time. As an emerging discipline, rheumatology and immunology has received significant attention from the state. The establishment of the branch aims to gather professional forces from all sides, work together to solve the problems of rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly, and promote the progress of the field of rheumatology in the elderly. It comprehensively and profoundly expounds the earnest expectations for the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch, anchors the direction for subsequent work, and has far-reaching significance.
Second, Vice President Yu Pulin's Speech: Focusing on rheumatism in the elderly, jointly forging Hope for Health
Vice President Yu Pulin expressed his emphasis on the preparatory work of the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch and stressed the urgency and significance of the development of the discipline of geriatric rheumatology and immunology. He pointed out that in the current context of an accelerating aging process, the prevention and treatment of rheumatic and immune diseases in the elderly has become an important issue that urgently needs attention. Despite the rapid development of the discipline, it still faces many challenges. The establishment of the branch aims to build a more professional platform and inject strength into the standardized diagnosis and treatment and discipline development of rheumatology and immunology. Contribute to promoting the development of geriatric medicine in the country to a new height.
Iii. Branch Establishment: Attract talents widely and gather professional forces
Vice Secretary-General Zhao Jicheng of the Chinese Geriatrics Society gave a detailed introduction to the overview of the society and the requirements for the establishment of its branches. He expressed the hope of uniting senior experts and professors as a valuable resource. Their experience and wisdom illuminate the way forward for the younger generation and help the branches steadily advance in the cause of geriatric rheumatology and immunology.
Iv. Discussing the New Journey of Rheumatology and Immunology: Development Blueprint and Responsibility
Professor Li Mengtao, Vice Chairperson of the Rheumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and Director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Professor Tian Xinping, Deputy Director of the National Clinical Research Center for Skin and Immune Diseases (NCRC) and director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital; Professor Wu Chanyuan, Member of the Pulmonary Vascular Interstitial Disease Group of the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Branch of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association and director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Peking Union Medical College Hospital Professor Su Yin, Chairperson of the Rheumatology and Immunology Professional Committee of the Chinese Women's Medical Association and Vice President of Peking University People's Hospital Qingdao Branch, Professor Yang Pingting, Standing Committee Member of the Rheumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, and Professor Yang Chengde, Vice Chairperson of the Rheumatology Branch of the Chinese Medical Association and Director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at Ruijin Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Professor Sun Lingyun, a member of the National Stem Cell Expert Committee and the president of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Professor Lin Jin, the president of the Rheumatology and Immunology Physicians Branch of Zhejiang Medical Doctor Association and the director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, and Professor Liu Shengyun, the chairperson of Henan Rheumatology Society and the director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Professor Li Juan, Vice Chairperson of the Rheumatology Committee of the Guangdong Medical Association and Director of the Rheumatology Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University; Professor He LAN, Chairperson of the Rheumatology Branch of the Shaanxi Medical Association and Director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi 'an Jiaotong University; Professor Wu Lijun, Chairperson of the Xinjiang Rheumatology Society and Director of the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region People's Hospital Centering on the future work plan, priorities, development direction, candidate conditions and matters related to the founding conference of the branch, experts freely expressed their opinions. In a lively and in-depth discussion, they unanimously agreed that the future of the Rheumatology and Immunology Branch will focus on improving the diagnosis and treatment level of rheumatic diseases in the elderly. On the one hand, focus on cutting-edge scientific research, fully break through precision diagnosis and treatment technologies, deeply explore the pathogenesis, accelerate the transformation of achievements, and provide more powerful support for clinical practice; On the other hand, we should actively integrate resources and build a comprehensive and efficient prevention and treatment system, especially focusing on enhancing the medical treatment capabilities at the grassroots level to ensure that high-quality medical care reaches every elderly patient. The branch will take on its responsibility bravely, spare no effort for the health and well-being of elderly patients with rheumatism, and strive to promote the discipline of rheumatology and immunology to a new height.
Professor Zeng Xiaofeng pointed out the specific tasks for the development of the branch in his summary: First, we focus on addressing the challenges of rheumatism and immune diseases in the context of an aging population. We build a platform integrating industry, academia, research and application, transform academic achievements into practical application standards, and formulate scientific and practical prevention and treatment norms. We are committed to ensuring that every elderly patient can enjoy standardized and normalized medical services and effectively improve the quality of life of patients. Second, at the same time, emphasis should be placed on the construction of a talent echelon and the improvement of the disciplinary theoretical system. At the same time, it is emphasized that the long-term progress of a discipline cannot be achieved without the support of high-quality professional talents. Therefore, training courses from basic theory to clinical practice are particularly important. Meanwhile, young doctors and researchers are actively encouraged to participate in multi-center joint scientific research projects to accumulate experience and enhance their capabilities in practice. In addition, it is also hoped that efforts can be made to promote the compilation of textbooks and the construction of the curriculum system for geriatric rheumatoid immunology, strive to fill the theoretical gaps in the discipline, lay a solid theoretical foundation for talent cultivation, and gradually build a discipline system with Chinese characteristics and reaching the international advanced level.
V. Summary and Outlook: Join hands and Embark on a New Journey
Vice President and Secretary-General Xu Xiaodong of the Chinese Society of Geriatrics highly affirmed the achievements of the preparatory meeting and pointed out the key points and implementation plans in aspects such as discipline construction and development. She stated that in our country, the superimposition of aging and the prevalence of chronic diseases has led to rheumatic and immune diseases presenting a "three highs and two dilemmas" characteristic among the elderly population. Establishing a branch and setting up a full-cycle management system shoulders the mission of the discipline's development. It is hoped that relying on the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, a support system integrating academic guidance, clinical transformation and talent cultivation can be formed. Build a collaborative innovation platform for industry-academia collaboration, focusing on early warning, precise intervention and functional maintenance, and establish a characteristic prevention and control model; With the construction of a standard system, breakthroughs in key technologies, innovation in service models, and the establishment of a disciplinary ecosystem as the key construction directions, and the completion of epidemiological research, the initiation of clinical research at the center, the establishment of a training network in five major regions, and the development of standardized training courses at the grassroots level as the key implementation plans, a new pattern for the prevention and treatment of rheumatic and immune diseases in the elderly will be constructed. Through the integration of disciplines and the drive of scientific and technological innovation, Resources and sharing can effectively enhance the overall health level of the elderly in our country.