SPONSORED FEATURE
After 10 years , Alpha IVF is just getting started
A reknown fertility centre in Kuala Lumpur celebrates their first decade by preparing for the next
Looking back over the impact his clinic has had on Malaysia and the global fertility sphere over the past 10 years , Dr Colin Lee believes there ’ s still more to come .
A principal obstetrician and gynaecologist and founder of Alpha IVF and Women ’ s Specialists in Kuala Lumpur , Dr Lee is well known for embracing the latest techniques and technologies as soon as they ’ re available , and in the fast-paced world of fertility where breakthroughs occur with formidable speed through global research and development , there are many more “ toys ”, as Dr Lee calls them , and regional and global “ firsts ” around the corner .
When Alpha opened in 2011 , it achieved the world ’ s first delivery of a healthy baby from a frozen egg and frozen sperm followed by a frozen embryo transfer .
Last year , the fertility centre made history after delivering the world ’ s first baby conceived using a new type of genetic sequencing aimed at saving the life of his sibling .
In between , Alpha ’ s doctors have achieved a long list of national , regional , and international firsts , mastered techniques that are not available elsewhere in Malaysia , and maintained a world-class IVF success rate .
But still Dr Lee says the 10-year-old centre is just getting started .
“ When I opened Alpha , my mission was very simple ,” he told Global Health Asia-Pacific . “ I had already gained a reputation for success in fertility in my previous roles ; now it was time to build something even bigger so that even more couples who had been struggling with their fertility can achieve their dream of having a baby .”
“ I think we ’ ve achieved that well , but it ’ s just the tip of the iceberg . It ’ s not in my nature to slow down , and there are still many more couples to help ,” he said .
Compared to its current palatial surroundings , Alpha took shape at a far more humble location as just a tenant of a larger group of clinics . Dr Lee ’ s clinic there had a very functional and to-the-point aesthetic , with plastic chairs and cramped rooms .
By 2019 , it had expanded to its own premises that now resemble the foyer of a five-star hotel . Patients are greeted under an ornate light fixture depicting golden sperms meeting eggs above the reception area . The new centre had been opened by the then queen of Malaysia , who herself had been a patient of Dr Lee ’ s .
The centre now has five specialists in addition to state-of-the-art labs and highly qualified personnel .
“ As a team , I would say that we can be proud that we have reached the forefront and been able to lead and innovate in the field of IVF on an international standing . To me that is important ,” said Dr Lee . “ We continue at the forefront of technology , including spearheading the implementation of technology for IVF as well as ovarian
36 OCTOBER 2021 GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com