History

At ASPS annual meeting (PSTM) in San Diego, Japan Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (JSPRS) contacted Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (KSPRS) to discuss about a possible foundation of Asian Federation. JSPRS wanted to proceed the project and started to contact several Asian societies to hear an opinion from each.

There were many positive feedbacks from Chinese Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(CSPRS), Indonesian Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (InaPRAS), The Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons of Thailand (ThPRS), and Taiwan Society of Plastic Surgery (TSPS). So, MOU for mutual collaboration and ASIAN FEDERATION OF PLASTIC, RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY SOCIETIES (APRAS) was planned to discuss at the next JSPRS conference in April, 2020.

The annual conference of JSPRS was postponed due to COVID to August. At that time, the above six societies virtually discussed the MOU and agreed with the MOU and APRAS project. The MOU was signed by each society after the conference (However, CSPRS later declined to sign the MOU because it recognized a problem in the approval process by their authority). So, the MOU was signed by 5 societies (InaPRAS, JSPRS, KSPRS, ThPRS and TSPS).

The annual conference of JSPRS had an international session of Asian societies. CSPS, InaPRAS, JSPRS, KSPRS, Philippine Association of Plastic Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgeons (PAPRAS), Pakistan Association of Plastic Surgeons (PAPS), ThPRS, and TSPS virtually joined the session. Leadership of each society gave a presentation to introduce its general activity and what it expects in the APRAS project. In addition, the 7 societies except for PAPS had a business meeting and agreed to start discussions in the APRAS working group.

The 1st APRAS working group was virtually held and agreed to start preparation of APRAS bylaws. Thereafter, the working group had a monthly Zoom meeting to refine the content of APRAS bylaws. SAPS joined the working group from the 3rd meeting in August of 2021. On the other hand, CSPS gave up its inclusion into APRAS and became an observer in the working group meetings.

The final draft of APRAS bylaws came to a consensus in the APRAS working group. APRAS logo, symbol and website URL were prepared.

PAPS decided to join the APRAS as a founding member. Thus, APRAS working group decided to launch APRAS with 8 member societies in the next year.

The 8 founding member societies gathered at the time of KSPRS annual conference virtually or in person to officially sign an agreement for the foundation of APRAS.

APRAS is to be officially launched.

Written by Dr. Kotaro Yoshimura (APRAS working group; JSPRS)