Chamaree Chuapetcharasopon, President AOSR, February 16, 2025

I am deeply honored to serve as the President of AOSR, succeeding the esteemed Dr. Noriyuki Tomiyama. Since its inception in 2017 by Prof Dr. Kwan Hoong Ng, AsiaSafe has been at the forefront of promoting radiation safety across the Asia-Oceania region. Officially launched during the 19th Asian Oceanian Congress of Radiology in July 2021, AsiaSafe has become a vital part of the global effort to ensure patient safety in medical imaging and therapy involving ionizing radiation.
 
AsiaSafe (www.AsiaSafe.org) is an initiative by the AOSR aimed at establishing a robust radiation safety culture and ensuring the appropriate use of radiation in medicine. Our primary objective is to raise awareness among health professionals and enhance their practices by providing comprehensive recommendations and guidance on all aspects of protection from ionizing radiation.
 
Since inception, the AOSR extended AsiaSafe’s charge to cultivating a safety culture for the use of radiation in diagnosis, intervention, and therapy, as well as for other applications including magnetic resonance and contrast safety. I would like to draw your attention to a recent publication in the Japanese Journal of Radiology titled "Magnetic Resonance Imaging Safety in Asia-Oceania: Call for Action". This article highlights the critical importance of MRI safety and outlines 10 essential steps to improve safety practices in our region. It is a call to action for all stakeholders to strengthen education, improve quality assurance, foster collaboration, increase public awareness, and establish national safety boards.
 
Prof Dr. Kwan Hoong Ng's dedication and tireless efforts have been instrumental in bringing these safety issues to the forefront. His contributions have been globally recognized, including receiving the prestigious Marie Sklodowska-Curie Award in 2018 and being listed among the 50 Outstanding Medical Physicists during the 50th Anniversary of the International Organization for Medical Physics (IOMP) in 2013. We are proud to have him spearheading and mentoring the AOSR on this project.
 
AsiaSafe continues to build upon these efforts, cooperating with the IAEA, WHO, European Society of Radiology, EuroSafe Imaging, ISR, Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), and other regional organizations. Our diverse cultures and socio-economies in the Asia-Oceania region present unique challenges and opportunities. By localizing guidelines to meet the specific needs of different institutions and countries, we can ensure that patients receive necessary, appropriate, and optimized care.
 
Let us continue to prioritize patient safety and work together to make AsiaSafe a beacon of excellence in radiation safety and beyond.
 
Put Patients First, be (Asia)safe!