The Congress
The Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology (APAMT) is an international association founded in 1989 by a group of medical toxicologists to promote chemical safety, poison control, and poisoning management in the Asia-Pacific Region. Since its inception, APAMT has actively promoted scientific research in clinical toxicology while also sharing poison information among the various poison centres in the region. APAMT also engages with other international societies with corresponding interest and collaborates with governmental agencies, including the World Health Organization, professional bodies, and individuals, to promote and conduct scientific research and investigations on poisoning.
APAMT’s inaugural international scientific congress was held in Tehran (Iran) in 1992. Since then, a series of the scientific congress have been organised in the following countries: Taiwan, Malaysia, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, India, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, UAE, Australia, Singapore, and Bali. The congress serves as a forum for the toxicologist fraternity to interact and debate new developments, challenges, and emerging issues in the field of toxicology. APAMT’S congresses in recent years have attracted participants from the African Continent, South America, the United States, Canada, UK, Europe, and the Middle East besides the Asia-Pacific.
The Malaysia National Poison Centre based at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, is the organiser and host of the 22nd Chapter of the APAMT International Scientific Congress – APAMT Malaysia 2024. The event will take place on 11 – 14 November 2024 in Penang, Malaysia. The organising of APAMT Malaysia 2024 is a collaborative effort between APAMT, the Malaysia National Poison Centre, the Malaysian Society on Toxinology (MST), and the College of Emergency Physicians – CEP (Malaysia Academy of Medicine).
Remembering one of us….Dr Rahmat Awang
It is with great sadness that we wish to inform friends and colleagues in APAMT the passing of Dr Rahmat Awang on 22 October 2024. He had just turned 67 the month before.
Rahmat was responsible for ‘introducing’ APAMT to the Malaysia National Poison Centre in 2001 when he was ‘encouraged’ by Professor Medhi Balali-Mood, the then President of APAMT, and Dr Jou-Fang Deng to organise and host the 3rd APAMT Scientific Congress in Penang. This year’s congress marks its fourth appearance in Malaysia, all organized by the National Poison Centre.
Rahmat’s passing leaves us not only with a deep sense of loss but also immense gratitude for his leadership at the Malaysia National Poison Centre which he helmed from 2000 – 2007. He leaves behind a legacy of leadership, inspiration, and kindness.
Dr Rahmat Awang will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. He will live on in our hearts and in the lives of all those he has touched.