The European Hematology Association (EHA) celebrates its Annual Meeting in Amsterdam, from 13 to 16 June. This is the most important congress of haematology in Europe in which latest developments and cutting-edge research in haematological diseases will be discussed. Find more information about the congress here.
For the first time, the session covering advocacy topics (both Patient Advocacy Track and EHA Advocacy Sessions) have been merged into the Joint EHA-Patient Symposium on Policy Challenges in Haematology. Continue reading
It is with great sadness that we share that our friend and colleague, Peter Lens, has passed away.
Peter was a myeloma patient and member of the first Board of Myeloma Patients Europe (MPE). He was always very passionate and supportive of MPE, its Board and staff. Continue reading
Myeloma Patients Europe (MPE) has launched a Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) Workgroup on Access during our recent Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Munich, Germany.
The Workgroup is chaired by MPE board members, Kristina Modic, also CEO of our Slovenian member Slovensko Združenje Bolnikov Z Limfomom In Levkemijo L&L, and Biba Dodeva, President of our Macedonian member BORKA. It was launched in response to an identified need for coordinated action at a European level on region-specific access issues. If you are interested in joining the group, please complete the form at the end of this article.
As bortezomib, an anti-myeloma medicine, is licensed as both an intravenous (IV – through the vein via a drip) and subcutaneous medicine (through the skin, via an injection), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recently conducted a survey to understand which method was most commonly used across Europe. They also asked about the location of administration (i.e. at home or in hospital) for patients.
Patient advocates, patients and caregivers have heard a lot about CAR-T cell treatment and its potential in myeloma. However, there are still a lot of questions about its benefits, its challenges and its role in treating myeloma.
With the aim of providing an overview of CAR-T cell treatment in myeloma, healthcare professional expectations and an introduction to some of the advantages and challenges for patients and in bringing it to market, Myeloma Patients Europe (MPE) will hold a webinar on Thursday 9 May from 18:00 to 19:00 CET. Continue reading
Shortages of essential cancer medicines have a direct impact on patient care across Europe. To ensure that this issue remains a top priority on the EU policy agenda, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) collaborated with the European Parliament to organise a cross-partisan event entitled “Shortages of Inexpensive, Essential Medicines: Calling for Tangible Political Commitments in the EU”, according to a press release sent by ESMO today. Continue reading
The European Hematology Association (EHA) and European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) held the first European CAR T Cell Meeting together in Paris on February 14-16, 2019.
Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) is revolutionizing the field of hematologic malignancies and has the potential to achieve cure for a number of dreadful diseases. The recent approvals of the first CAR T Cell treatments in Europe provide a great opportunity to fight hematologic malignancies, but also poses serious challenges given the peculiar nature of the treatment. Continue reading
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a partial clinical hold on all clinical trials evaluating venetoclax for the investigational treatment of multiple myeloma. Continue reading
Myeloma Patients Europe (MPE) is participating in the Horizon 2020 project, MMPredict, aimed at developing a personalised medicine tool to predict the most effective treatment strategy for individual myeloma patients.
The MMpredict consortium has reached a new milestone in this project by completing the recruitment of the patient samples required in this project. With more than 800 myeloma samples recruited, the project team meets its aimed target population. The current efforts will now be focused on completing the genetic analysis of the obtained study material. During this stage, tumour heterogeneity (i.e. the differences between people’s myeloma) and the patient’s intrinsic characteristics will be investigated. Continue reading
Second cohort of the ADP trainees during ESMO 2018.
Patient input into medical research is becoming increasingly important. The MPE Advocate Development Programme aims to help myeloma and AL amyloidosis advocates understand the research and development process of drugs, from the preclinical stages through to post-marketing surveillance and national access. Topics include clinical trial design, regulation, pricing and health technology assessment (HTA). The programme combines a series of theoretical sessions delivered by experts with practical sessions that take place during the most important myeloma scientific meetings in Europe such as the European Haematology Association (EHA) Annual Meeting or the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting. Continue reading