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Published on August 17, 2007

Dr Arkom Cheirsilpa, deputy director of National Cancer Institute, was announced yesterday by the International Research Promotion Council (IRPC) as the winner of the award.

"I am so glad to be the one who received this outstanding award. It is an honour for my family and Thailand. It has also encouraged me to continue my clinical research work to help cancer patients," said Arkom.

The IRPC, which is based in the United Kingdom, was established to provide research and scientific incentives in developing and underdeveloped countries in the Asia-Pacific.

Arkom compared anti-emetic drugs for cancer patients in terms of cheap and expensive versions and also oral and injected medicine. His research found there was no difference between using cheap and expensive versions.

The study was conducted three years ago.

Arkom graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Mahidol University's Ramathibodi Hospital. He received several grants to conduct his cancer research from international research organisations, including the Deutscher Akademischer Austausch Dienst, the World Health Organisation and the British Council.

Moreover, Arkom devoted himself to establishing a programme to prevent and control the prevalence of cancer in Thailand, similar to programmes at the University of London and the Faculty of Public Health at Harvard University.

He said the lack of understanding of cancer and cancer treatment "is still a big problem and must be resolved".

Duangkamon Sajirawattanakul

The Nation