Taipei, June 17 (CNA) Over 400 medical professionals from both sides of the Taiwan Strait shared their views on cosmetic treatments, eye surgery and health care prospects at a series of forums in Taipei, officials from the Taiwan External Trade Development Council said Sunday.

The forums not only offered a chance for doctors to interact with each other, but also attracted individuals and product manufacturers who wish to know more about industry trends, said Cavan Pai, an official with the council, one of the event's organizers.

"We estimated the number of participants at between 400 and 500," he said in a telephone interview.

The forums were expected to be held on a larger scale because, for the first time, they were held alongside two international medical exhibitions.

The Taiwan International Medical and Health Exhibition and the Taiwan International Senior Lifestyle and Health Care Show, running from June 14-17, drew about 55,000 consumers and traders from home and abroad.

Pai added that the combination "brought out the best in each other" and echoed the government's priority in promoting cross-Taiwan Strait medical exchanges.

There is a great chance that the cooperation model with the Taiwan Cross-strait Medical Interchange Association will be adopted next year, he said.

Forum topics included micro-cosmetic surgery, cataract surgery, advances in biotechnology, investment in the pharmaceutical industry and cross-strait medical policies, according to the organizer's website.

(By Nancy Liu)
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