ASH 2024

From 06th to 10th December 2024, Jan, Charles, Catherine and Cheryl attended the 66th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition in San Diego (USA). ASH‘s annual meeting typically attracts over 30,000 participants, including clinicians, researchers, and healthcare professionals focused on hematology across the world, including a rather homeopathic but energetic number of patient advocates. 

Before leaving, we had the chance to meet virtually with our members and supporters who couldn’t attend the congress in person.

On Saturday 7th December, Jan Geissler (ALAN Chair) gave an update to ALAN Members and Supporters on the  2024 plans and on planned 2025 activities.  We are happy to share the presentation (if not already received) – just let us know by email at samantha@acuteleuk.org

First, we met with our colleagues from other advocacy organizations at the Pfizer ASH Patient Advocacy breakfast and working session. 

The congress was also the opportunity to meet with some of our members and sponsors but also our advocacy colleagues. We also attended the ELN meeting, and Jan presented on behalf of ALAN regarding the why, when and how to involve patients in clinical development. 

We also attended the FDA Advocacy session

Words from Charles: 

“To my mind, ASH 2024 – my first as a patient advocate – made positive steps towards incorporating patient and caregiver perspectives into clinical practice. It was a pleasure to meet some of ALAN’s sponsors and representatives from the pharmaceutical industry, all of whom were keen to advance acute leukemia patient and carer voice within their work.  

Additionally, members of the European Hematology Association (EHA) adolescent and young adult (AYA) taskforce met for an informal session to outline our future direction as a group and draw up tactics for collecting AYA patient views.

Productive meetings with colleagues from other groups and from industry and informative sessions on self-reported health studies and leveraging artificial intelligence to improve the patient/carer experience capped off a fascinating weekend which has given me a clear idea of how to put ALAN’s 2025 strategy into practice.”

Until we meet again, the ALAN team wishes you a wonderful holiday season !