HemeTalks: Conversations in Hematology Education

Join us for an insightful podcast episode featuring the Co-Chairs of the upcoming 2024 ASH Annual Meeting, where we explore the planning process and strategic goals that shaped this year’s program. Discover how the Co-Chairs ensured the Education Program meets the diverse needs of the hematology community, and the unique challenges faced during the planning and how they were overcome. Gain exclusive insights into what makes this event the premier gathering for professionals in the field. Whether attending in person or virtually, find out how you can maximize your experience and apply the latest advancements to your practice or research.Learning Objectives:Understand the Planning Process: Learn about the strategic goals, collaborative efforts, and decision-making that guided the design of the Education Program for the 66th ASH Annual Meeting, ensuring it addresses the diverse needs of the hematology community.Overcome Planning Challenges: Learn about the specific challenges encountered during the planning of this year’s program and how they were effectively managed to deliver a meaningful experience for attendees.Impact on Practice and Research: Understand how this year’s program is designed to impact attendees' practices and research, fostering advancements in the field of hematology.

Join us as we explore blood transfusion safety, focusing specifically on Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI) and Transfusion-Associated Circulatory Overload (TACO). Tailored for general hematologists with a foundational understanding of transfusion medicine, this session delves into the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, and management strategies for TRALI and TACO. Through advanced discussions, participants will deepen their knowledge of these complications, enabling them to recognize, diagnose, and manage TRALI and TACO effectively in clinical practice.Learning Objectives:Gain a thorough understanding of the pathophysiology and clinical presentation of TRALI and TACO.Familiarize with the diagnostic criteria and differential diagnosis of TRALI and TACO.Develop effective management strategies for TRALI and TACO to ensure transfusion safety and enhance patient outcomes.

Are you a hematologist or a generalist provider seeking clarity on how to best counsel patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) who are interested in gene therapy? Join us for a podcast session focused on important patient considerations for gene therapy, tailored for SCD providers and clinicians. This session aims to provide practical insights to facilitate clear communication between providers, patients with SCD, and their families about treatment options.Learning ObjectivesUnderstand the Basics of Gene Therapy Treatments & SCD: By the end of the podcast, listeners will be able to identify some basic tenants of transformative treatments for sickle cell disease (SCD), focusing on how gene therapy treatments compare to other disease modifying treatments.Counseling Patients and Families: Listeners will be given suggestions on what key information to provide to patients and families that are interested in gene therapies, especially considering the build-up to gene therapy and also potential long-term effects.Enhance Communication Skills: This episode will suggest effective communication strategies to provide patients with both perspective and empathy while discussing gene therapy and other treatment options.

Speakers: Alexis Thompson, MD, and Sujit Sheth, MDDescription:For general hematologists with a foundational understanding of thalassemia, this episode discusses the changing demographics due to immigration and refugee resettlement. It covers the diagnosis process from newborn screening to older individuals, emphasizing genetic testing due to numerous mutations and varied phenotypes. The importance of correctly diagnosing older individuals previously misdiagnosed with iron deficiency refractory to treatment is highlighted. The episode also addresses regular transfusions, iron chelation, and monitoring for complications, along with advances in blood supply safety, reduced alloimmunization risks through extended typing, and MRI monitoring. Finally, novel agents in practice and development, including luspatercept, PK activators, and gene therapy, will be explored. Learning Objectives:Understand the changing landscape of thalassemia in the US. Revisit the state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment approaches. Learn about novel therapeutics in the thalassemia field