Center for Allergology and Clinical Immunology

I. HISTORY

• Early 1970s: Recognizing the rapid increase in allergic diseases, Hanoi Medical University established an Allergy Research Unit in 1969.
• 1980: The Ministry of Health issued Decision No. 481 BYT/QD to establish the Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Bach Mai Hospital.
• March 25, 1981: The department officially commenced operations and began receiving patients.
• January 26, 2010: Due to the increasing prevalence of allergic and autoimmune diseases, the Ministry of Health upgraded the department into the Center for Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Decision No. 258/QD-BYT).

II. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Board of Directors:

• Acting Director: Pham Huy Thong, MD, PhD (Senior Specialist)
• Vice Director: Nguyen Huu Truong, MD, PhD
• Chief Nurse: Ha Thi Phuong, MSc.

III. FUNCTIONS AND MISSIONS

• Clinical Care: Enhancing the diagnosis and treatment of common and rare allergic and autoimmune diseases in Vietnam.
• Research: Investigating the prevalence of allergies across different climates and professions, as well as environmental factors affecting the diseases.
• Standardization: Developing and standardizing common allergens and identifying domestic anti-allergic medicines.
• Advanced Treatment: Combining modern and traditional medicine, updating international protocols for diseases like bronchial asthma, drug allergies, lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and vasculitis.
• Education: Providing undergraduate and postgraduate training for medical professionals.
• International Cooperation: Collaborating globally on allergen production, testing, diagnostics, and scientific research.

IV. KEY TECHNIQUES & ACHIEVEMENTS
Clinical Achievements:

• Operating 65 inpatient beds with an occupancy rate consistently reaching 150%.
• Successfully treating severe cases: anaphylaxis, AGEP, DRESS, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and Lyell syndrome.
• Applying advanced therapies such as pulse therapy with glucocorticoids and cyclophosphamide.

Laboratory & Diagnostics:

• Equipped with ELISA systems, specific IgE quantification, and Spirometers.
• Performing tens of thousands of specialized in vivo and in vitro tests annually (Patch tests with 99 allergens, skin prick tests, etc.).
• Specialized diagnostics for autoimmune diseases: Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), anti-dsDNA, anti-phospholipid, anti-CCP, and more.

Public Health & Consultation:

• Running the Asthma, Allergy, and Clinical Immunology Counseling Room since 2008.
• Serving over 19,000 outpatient visits for counseling and follow-ups annually.

Direction of Healthcare (Project 1816): Transferring specialized techniques to provincial hospitals and participating in national lung health projects.

International Recognition: Collaborating with the World Allergy Organization (WAO), French-Vietnamese Lung Association, and US experts via REI.