Amplifying the Voice of ASEAN Endocrinology through JAFES and its Website

After the successful JAFES re-launch during the 16th AFES annual meeting in Ho Chi MInh City, Vietnam, in November 2011, let me take this opportunity to thank the international editorial team, a heterogeneous group of academicians and clinicians in endocrinology and related specialties, for the success of the first year of JAFES. Even as I recognize the team, the fact is that , the resonating voice comes from those authors and contributors who chose and choose JAFES to be their medium: We have them to thank more.

The direction of JAFES is clear. The objectives have been amply restated: to use this journal and its website as the voice of endocrinology from within ASEAN, and to resonate the messages into the international scene. With its current home base in Manila, Philippines, the international team works very hard to publish a quality journal that is the product of countless hours of planning, partnership with expert content and methodology peer reviewers from Asia, US, Europe and Australia, and compliance with international standard of writing, high-quality copy-editing and printing, to submit to its readers – and authors – the near perfect form that comes out biennially, without fail.

The team continues to self-educate, seek training opportunities for advancement in this process, and gratefully receive constant inspiration from key players in the field.

Together, we shall continue to use issue themes to highlight clinical practice guidelines for common diseases (the first year focused on diabetes and the metabolic syndrome) to stimulate a national discussion from within each AFES country and reverberate these messages to the ASEAN neighbors and ultimately to the rest of Asia-Pacific and the world. With these theme-based issues, it is our hope that our colleagues in ASEAN may have the opportunity for initiating a national conversation on these topic concerns, as these CPGs are a product of efforts of various stakeholders to eventually provide the best guides for screening, diagnosis and management strategies. Once published, from these CPGs will spring the collective perspective of how these diseases both commonly and distinctly affect ASEAN countries, in contra-distinction to our Western colleagues.

After thyroid diseases in this issue, we shall focus on osteoporosis and other bone and mineral disorders, lipids and hypertension, reproductive endocrinology and peripheral arterial disease, as forthcoming topics. We continue to invite submissions for original articles, reviews, case reports, and images on all topics in endocrinology to be an integral part of every issue.

The JAFES website, too is now up and running. Please log on to www.asean-endocrinejournal.org and experience what JAFES stands for. All published articles in the past year are, for now, readily downloadable, free for all interested readers to enjoy.

Please assist us to disseminate and market our journal, by sending them to various e-groups and individuals who may be interested. Please email our editorial assistant Dr. Amado Tandoc III or our secretary, Ms. Melissa Tandoc, to send you a copy of the invitation and link to the website. Through the website, every member can have access and links to various AFES country member websites and as such be able to use this as as a vital venue for dialogues with colleagues from the region. The website will provide issue news, bulletin board announcements, "image of the week", and postcards from Asia, photo and video galleries. We continue to welcome suggestions on how to enhance the look and be a useful tool for us in the region.

One of the major thrusts of JAFES is to be part of the international Index Medicus. We are currently in the process of beginning applications. We are pleased to note that we are getting a good flow and number of submitted articles, but we do hope we can attract more active contributions from all AFES countries. Your precious article contributions shall lay the foundations of JAFES’ continued high quality international publication. AFES article contributions will help us secure our inclusion into online journal databases, such as SciVerse Scopus, ISI-Web of Science and PubMed.

There is also a continuing need to expand and deepen the pool of Peer Reviewers among ASEAN members so we may obtain all comments and critiques from experts within the region, as implications for these data need to be well-matched to our populations. In this issue, we have included a guide for Peer Reviewers. On behalf of the international editorial team, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to our international Peer Reviewers for their timely responses and substantial critiques and comments on the articles, as they significantly shape the voice of Endocrinology in our region.

The current issue's theme is on thyroid diseases, a condition so commonly seen and presenting differently in a part of the world that continues to be besieged by the problem of iodine deficiency. Dr. Terry Davies from Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City, together with Dr. Francis Balucan, gives us an excellent and scholarly review on current understanding of autoimmune thyroid disorders. Clinical Practice Guidelines on thyroid cancer and thyroid disorders from the Philippines and Myanmar, respectively, are featured. Dr. Marita Reyes provides us a timely and relevant article on ethics in research and its implications in the ASEAN region.

The Asean Federation of Endocrine Societies (AFES) is now on its 49th year of existence. It is a well-established and renowned group of endocrinologists led by key opinion leaders in our region. It is hoped that the JAFES can truly be its voice towards a better understanding of endocrine problems in our region through identification of major concerns that specifically affect us. It is hoped that we can provide impetus to modifying practice patterns to lead to improved conditions of the individuals in our region. The challenge is upon us. With the emerging epidemic of diabetes and obesity among other conditions, we need to act now and hope JAFES can provide the power of speech for this first step.

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