Dear Colleagues,

I am writing to announce the International Conference on Women's
Health and Asian Traditional Medicine (WHAT Medicine), to be held
from 23-25 August 2005 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre,
Malaysia. This conference is being organised by the Journal of
Tropical Medicinal Plants (www.tropmedplants.org), under the
patronage of Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, the First Lady of Malaysia
and in partnership with the Malaysian Herbal Corporation, a wholly
owned subsidiary of Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High
Technology (MIGHT), under the Ministry of Science, Technology &
Industry.

Under the theme `Promoting Complete Healthcare For Women', the
conference will bring into focus those Asian healthcare traditions
used by generations of women to care for their families and their
own health needs. The conference will stimulate a process of
ensuring that the best of these traditions are preserved, promoted,
evaluated and used as culturally appropriate strategies for meeting
women's healthcare needs in contemporary society.

Areas to be addressed in the conference will include:

1.Theory and perspectives. Leading Asian medical systems and their
views on diseases specific to women.
2.Diagnosis & treatment- Principles and practice within each major
Asian medical tradition.
3.Reproductive health. Asian medical approaches to pregnancy,
infertility, etc
4.Gynaecological disorders. Diagnosis, treatment & integrated care
5.Sexually transmitted infections. STDs, HIV and Asian traditional
medicine
6.Ageing. Menopause, osteoporosis, mental health, etc.
7.Skin. Healthy skin, ageing skin, skin disease.
8.Degenerative diseases. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes and
rheumatoid conditions etc.
9.Cultural preservation, transfer of knowledge & socio-legal issues

LATEST NEWS

Registration Details:

At present, the website has a delegate registration page which is up
and running, and we are in the process of the setting up the on-line
payment gateway for conference delegates to pay their registration
fees. For now, upon successful completion of online registration,
delegates will be advised by e-mail about payment methods and other
relevant information on the conference.
The registration fee for international delegates, excluding
students, is US$300, and for local delegates is RM1140. Students
may register at the concessionary rate of US$175 or RM665, provided
that they submit a valid student identification card and copy of a
university admission letter. The registration charge is inclusive
of entry to plenary sessions, breakout, posters sessions,
exhibitions and all facilities related to the conference. It does
not include transport or accommodation.

Invited keynote speakers are required to register, but are exempt
from the registration fee and other costs related to the
conference. There will be a very limited number of scholarships
available for other delegates on a case-by-case basis. Scholarship
applicants should mail their most recent full C.V. stating their
professional qualifications, publications, research experience and
recommendations by relevant bodies, for consideration by the
conference organising committee.

Submission of Abstracts:

Abstracts should be a maximum length of one A4 page, using the
online abstract submission form. All abstracts must adhere to the
stated guidelines in order to be considered for inclusion.

The number of papers accepted for oral presentation will be limited.
Review criteria will be (1) whether and (2) how the paper extends
the existing body of knowledge on Women's Health & Asian Traditional
Medicine and (3) therefore its relevance to the conference topics,
(4) the scientific quality of the research approach, and (5) clarity
of presentation. Based on the recommendations of reviewers, the
Organizing Committee will allocate additional abstracts to the
poster category.

Further guidelines on abstracts and posters, including online
submission forms, can be found at:
http://www.whatmedicine.org/abstractsandposters.htm

Conference Publications:

Papers of high quality will be recommended for publication in one of
the following partner journals in WHAT Medicine: Journal of Tropical
Medicinal Plants, Journal of Alternative & Complimentary Medicine,
Journal of Women's Health. Further details of these publications
will be forwarded later.

Exhibition:

From 10am to 7pm daily, there will be an exhibition in the Kuala
Lumpur Convention Centre. Manufacturers, suppliers and traders of
Asian traditional medicines and therapies (including dietary
supplements, natural/organic/functional foods and beverages, and
skin care and beauty products from traditional Asian sources) are
invited to participate. Practitioners of Asian traditional medicine
and companies providing ancillary services related to the field
(e.g. laboratory testing, certification services, consultancy &
design agencies, education, trade associations and franchising) are
also welcome.

Exhibitors at WHAT Medicine are entitled to place the conference
logo on their company web sites; to receive free hall passes for
their clients; and to disseminate their company information through
a free 50-word description in the WHAT Medicine Program Guide
distributed at the conference.

The standard charge for raw space is US$174 per square metre for
international exhibitors. There are also opportunities to upgrade
to a static display, with various booth sizes available. A 3m x 3m
booth costs US$1660; please contact the organisers for details of
the fees for larger booths. We are also offering a special Overseas
Exhibitor Package, which includes a 3m x 3m booth and five nights'
accommodation at a four-star hotel for US$2,000. The application
deadline for those wishing to take advantage of this special offer
is 10 July 2005.

For greater exposure, exhibitors may wish to sponsor an event at the
show. Sponsorship opportunities include (but are not limited to)
scientific panels, conference speakers, lunches, receptions,
refreshment breaks, website banners, conference bags/shirts, visitor
badges and show catalogue.

For more information, please visit
http://www.whatmedicine.org/Exhibitormain.htm or e-mail
exhibition@....

Public Programme:

Recognizing that the traditional health knowledge is integrally part
of Asian cultures and is a common feature of household life, WHAT
Medicine will offer the general public and education session each
morning of the conference.

The sessions will be open to members of the public with registration
and will feature distinguished traditional health practitioner
providing information on the following themes:

• Pregnancy, childbirth & post-partum care
• Menopause & osteoporosis
• Appropriate diet & nutrition for various aspects of women's health

The public programme will run concurrently with the scientific
programme, starting after the morning coffee break and continuing
till lunch.