Dear Friends,

We are privileged to cordially invite you to attend and participate in the upcoming joint 16th International Conference on Thalassaemia and Other Haemoglobinopathies & 18th TIF Conference for Patients and Parents, known collectively as TIF International Conference.

The Conference will take place on 03 – 05 November 2023 in the vibrant and diverse city of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

Organised by the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) with the support of the Federation of Malaysia Thalassaemia Societies, the Malaysian Haematology Society, the Malaysian Association of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology and in official collaboration with the Ministry of Health – Malaysia, this Conference promises to provide an outstanding opportunity for all involved stakeholders to bridge perspectives from various disciplines and to meet the challenges of improving the health and quality of life of those affected by haemoglobinopathies.

This International Conference, the first of its kind since the pandemic, promises to congregate more than 2,000 of the most important actors in the field of thalassaemia and other haemoglobinopathies, namely healthcare professionals across medical and scientific specialisations, patients/parents, and the industry from over 62 countries of the world.

Covering a broad range of topics on the prevention and clinical management and multidisciplinary care, and very importantly on new advances in the areas of care and cure for thalassaemia and other haemoglobinopathies, in addition to patient empowerment and capacity building which are key features of TIF’s work, the Conference will provide a unique forum of sharing knowledge and experiences and/or building up new and strengthening existing networks and collaborations. As we all strive towards achieving the new set of goals set by the United Nations and World Health Organisation by 2030, promotion of patient involvement and ensuring patient-centredness in healthcare systems remain important, indispensable targets for TIF. 

Hosting this prestigious educational event in Malaysia, provides an optimum opportunity to showcase the immense national achievements attained in the field of thalassaemia including well-planned and well-structured disease-specific services which respond to patient location and needs as documented in a national patient registry – an imperative policy-making and service planning tool absent from most countries across the region but also internationally. Moreover, Malaysia is centrally positioned among other countries with a high prevalence of thalassaemia in the South Asian / West Pacific region and can offer much in sharing of best practices regarding the healthcare infrastructure and expertise required for the appropriate control (prevention and clinical management) of thalassaemia. The empowered and engaged patient/parent community and the expert treating physicians and healthcare professionals of Malaysia provide a beacon of hope and role models for their peers and colleagues internationally – a fact that will be made apparent by all participants in the Conference. 

We therefore hope that the innovative and high-calibre programme will meet your expectations and we are certain that your stay will be most enjoyable as Kuala Lumpur, and Malaysia as a whole, offer unique beauty, culture, exceptional ambience and charm for all.

After the unprecedented events that challenged the whole of humanity so far in this decade, we are truly confident x`that participation in the TIF International Conference will remain in your minds as an everlasting memory, and in your heart and soul as an unforgettable experience.

We very much look forward to welcoming and seeing you all at this event, aiming to build a brighter future together for patients with haemoglobinopathies across the world!

Cordially,