A Year of Progress and Promise in Conquering Sickle Cell Disease

ASH’s commitment to improving treatments and outcomes for individuals with sickle cell disease is playing out on several fronts with multiple partners. A reception Monday evening will celebrate the progress made, while providing stakeholders the opportunity to forge new ties as they press forward. 

“As a result of the commitment of countless stakeholders, including those with ASH and the ASH Research Collaborative (RC), we have made significant progress in advancing research into sickle cell disease and creating a more promising future for individuals with the disease,” said ASH President-elect Mohandas Narla, DSc, a distinguished scientist at New York Blood Center Enterprises. “We have much to celebrate, but now is not the time to rest on our laurels. Let’s recommit to further improvements in the treatment landscape and, ultimately, conquering sickle cell disease.” 

Monday’s reception, taking place in Rooms 28 A–D and the Plaza Terrace of the Convention Center, will run from 6:15 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

The reception will include a presentation by Dr. Narla who will highlight the advances that ASH and the ASH RC have made to drive positive change in sickle cell disease over the past year. (Earlier Monday, an ASH-FDA Joint Symposium will shed new light on gene therapy and editing.)  

ASH’s focus on sickle cell disease is a multi-faceted initiative, one with an eye on the patient. Components include the following: 

• The Sickle Cell Disease Coalition, which was founded to amplify the voice of the SCD stakeholder community, bolster awareness, and improve outcomes for patients with SCD. 
• The ASH Research Collaborative, which has a centralized SCD clinical data platform (the Data Hub) and a SCD Clinical Trials Network. 
• Clinical Practice Guidelines, including five that focus on the management of acute and chronic complications of SCD. Available guidelines include Cardiopulmonary and Kidney Disease, Cerebrovascular Disease, Management of Acute and Chronic Pain, Stell Cell Transplantation, and Transfusion Support. 
• SCD Centers Workshops, which train health care professionals to establish a clinical center focused on the needs of adults living with SCD. 
• World Sickle Cell Awareness Day, which ASH and ASH Research Collaborative have helped to promote with social media livestream conversations. 
• A podcast series, Bring Sickle Cell Disease to Life. 

For more information about these programs and others within ASH’s SCD initiative, please visit hematology.org/sickle-cell-disease-initiative.