Doctors awarded for lifelong contribution

A 98-year-old hematologist focusing on leukemia received model of medical ethics award with 10 other elderly local experts who are all over 80 years old and have been involved in the health-care industry for over 50 years.

They are included in a book "The Light of Medical Ethics" which tells the stories of 46 medics who have made great contributions to the nation and the city, said the Shanghai Health Commission.

As "the father of the induction and differentiation of leukemia cells," Dr Wang Zhenyi developed a therapy to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia, the most aggressive form of leukemia with the highest fatality rate, and greatly improved the survival rate of APL patients all over the world.

He is also the oldest of the 11 model recipients.

Younger doctors follow

In addition to elderly experts, the book also includes young and middle-aged medics who have done excellent work.

Dr Yan Zheng is a representative of general physicians in the city. With patients' trust and love, he is nicknamed "key doctor" because many patients give their door keys to allow him visit them at home more conveniently. Dr Song Donglei, a leading neurologist, resigned from a public hospital to start his own business by opening a brain hospital, and Dr Zhong Ming from Zhongshan Hospital was the first doctor in Shanghai to support Wuhan when the COVID-19 broke out in 2020.

They shared their experiences and feelings on medicine in the book, which encourages more young medical staff to learn from these examples and promotes medical ethics to the public, health officials said.