This interactive webinar will highlight key research abstracts featured at the 2025 Tandem Meetings of ASTCT and CIBMTR. It features posters that were selected for the Palliative Care SIG Poster Walk and emphasizes these interprofessional authors and their research posters:

Richard Newcomb, MD, Massachusetts General Hospital

• "Factors Associated with Early Quality of Life Response to Palliative Care during Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation" 

Daniel Trotier, MD, The Ohio State University

• “Has Palliative Care and Hospice Utilization Changed for Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Large B-Cell Lymphoma in the Era of CAR-T?"

Alexi Vasbinder, PhD, RN, University of Washington School of Nursing

• "Associations between Symptom Severity and Distress with Functional Status after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation."

This webinar will discuss the role of non-Aspergillus mold infections (NAIMIs) in hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) recipients. Upon completion of this activity, attendees will gain knowledge on identifying NAIMIs, understanding risk factors, and recognizing clinical presentations. The session will cover current diagnostic methods, treatment options, and preventive strategies, including antifungal prophylaxis and infection control measures. Participants will also learn about emerging therapies and the impact of these infections on patient outcomes.

Presenter: 

Abby P. Douglas, Department of Infectious Diseases, National Centre for Infections in Cancer, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Host: Sanjeet Dadwal, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Infectious Disease, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California

Join us for an informational webinar on Tuesday, August 12, that will highlight the major updates to the ASTCT HCT Coverage & Reimbursement Guide. This session will provide valuable insights for professionals involved in the financial authorization process for stem cell transplant process, with key topics including:

• Overview of insurance types and benefit screening
• Contracting and authorization workflows
• Registration and billing procedures for stem cell transplant cases

This webinar is free to ASTCT members and non-members. It is especially targeted toward financial specialists, coordinators, or administrators new to their roles within stem cell transplant programs. It will also be recorded for on-demand viewing.

We are excited to announce an upcoming virtual roundtable on Wednesday, August 6, at 2 p.m. CDT that will delve into insights and key takeaways from the ASCO Annual Meeting. This will be a great opportunity to explore and discuss latest advancements impacting BMT and cellular therapy and connect with your peers on these recent developments in our field. 

Expect a lively, informal Q&A session moderated by the ASTCT Pharmacy SIG Program Planning Committee. Through chat or open dialogue, you’ll have the opportunity to share insights and learn from your peers in transplantation and cellular therapy.

This event is open to all ASTCT members and non-members working in transplantation and cellular therapy. Have a question you'd like to see covered during the session? Submit it here: https://forms.office.com/r/mmWmwHea9T

This webinar focused on recent research in the use of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD), convening a panel of experts to discuss ways to improve access for patients with SCD who could benefit from HCT. Many patients and providers alike are unfamiliar with HCT as a potential curative option for SCD patients. Demystifying transplant among SCD providers and encouraging strong relationships between transplant centers and community providers treating SCD patients can help open up HCT as an option for these patients. Disparities in health care among racial and ethnic groups are well established, and the lack of discussion of HCT among SCD patients and providers presents another example of differential access to care. Several transplant programs who routinely transplant SCD patients are working to make stronger connections with local community SCD treatment programs to help overcome these barriers to care and encourage discussion about HCT’s place in the treatment of SCD. 

During this interactive roundtable-style webinar, our expert HCT and SCD panelists discussed some of the latest research and outcomes in HCT for SCD, as well as shared models for outreach and engagement between transplant centers and SCD programs. Panelists explored the role of HCT in the treatment of SCD and how to ensure access to HCT for these patients as a matter of health equity, including through patient programs like the Sickle Cell Warrior Program and HLA Today. This webinar is relevant for both transplant centers and community hematologists/oncologists and SCD program providers who refer out for transplant and cellular therapies, discussing the role that all practitioners can play in improving access to HCT.

Release Date: 4/26/2025

Expiration Date: 4/30/2026

Estimated Time to complete activity: One hour

Reviewed and recertified date: 4/26/2025

Live event: September 28, 2022

Original release date: September 30, 2022

Statement of Need:

The Sickle Cell Warriors Program at NMDP is a patient services program that assists in typing for patients, financial assistance, counseling, patient education and providing peer connections. The primary feedback from patients in the Sickle Cell Warrior Program is that #1 barrier to treatment is physicians. Patients report that they are not being told about all of their treatment options; regardless of disease severity, they should at least be made aware of various options, but often they are not. Many patients go to the Sickle Cell Warriors Program to enroll in a clinical trial for transplant, but this usually does not cover cost of HLA typing. In this case, the referring physician has not gone through the process of HLA typing, either because of misinformation or because the physician refuses to provide an order for typing simply because they don’t agree with patients’ physicians. This is a clear miscommunication between the community oncologists and transplant physicians. In surveys, transplant physicians identify a lack of awareness, lack of confidence, and reliance on outdated data from the referring physicians. These referring physicians in a similar survey reported that their primary reason for not communicating all treatment options was noncompliance in patients who they did not believe had the means to move forward with treatment. This illustrates a complex problem between the three groups (referring community physicians, transplant physicians, and the patients themselves) that this webinar series aims to address.

Target Audience:

This activity is intended for physicians, both referring physicians and transplant specialists, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who are part of the multidisciplinary team.

Learning Objectives:

1. Upon completion of this education activity, participants will be able to:
2. Identify recent trends in access to and outcomes of HCT for SCD
3. Discuss models for outreach and engagement to improve shared, coordinated care between transplant centers treating SCD patients and community hematology/oncology or SCD programs
4. Describe the role of HCT in the treatment of SCD 
5. Explain how transplant centers and hematology/oncology or SCD providers can work together to improve health equity and access to HCT
6. Use patient resources for SCD through the Sickle Cell Warrior Program and HLA Today

Accreditation

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The France Foundation (TFF), the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). The France Foundation is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit Designation 
Physicians
The France Foundation designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  

Method of Participation/How to Receive Credit:
There are no fees for participating and receiving credit for this activity. Successful completion is achieved by reviewing the CE information, completing the pre-test, completing the activity, and completing the post-test and evaluation form. A score of at least 75% on the posttest is required to successfully complete this activity. The participant may take the test until successfully passed.

If you are requesting AMA credits or a certificate of participation, your certificate will be available for download. 

Disclosure Policy:
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require that individuals in a position to control the content of an educational activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with a commercial entity. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT resolve all conflicts of interest to ensure independence, objectivity, balance, and scientific rigor in all their educational programs. Furthermore, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT seek to verify that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CME/CE activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT are committed to providing learners with high-quality CME/CE activities that promote improvements in health care and not those of a commercial interest.

Planning committee members, faculty, reviewers, and activity staff have disclosed the following relevant financial relationships. All relevant financial relationships listed have been mitigated.

Commercial Supporter Disclosures

No commercial support was provided for this webinar.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use:
TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require CME faculty (speakers) to disclose when products or procedures being discussed are off label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational, and any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary, or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty in this activity may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of US Food and Drug Administration approved labeling. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. If you have questions, contact the Medical Affairs Department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

Disclaimer:
TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT present this information for educational purposes only. The content is provided solely by faculty who have been selected because of recognized expertise in their field. Participants have the professional responsibility to ensure that products are prescribed and used appropriately on the basis of their own clinical judgment and accepted standards of care. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT assume no liability for the information herein.

This webinar series aired throughout the month of September 2021, in honor of Sickle Cell Awareness Month. This series highlights how to get patients to curative options, treating patients with sickle cell disease, and patients and caregiver experiences throughout the treatment process. Recordings and slides from the live webinars have been posted here for your easy viewing.

This recorded webinar, held in honor of Sickle Cell Awareness month, delves into crucial topics related to patients with sickle cell disease and transplant:

• Guidelines for Post-Transplant Care: Clinicians and patient speakers discuss essential care practices after transplantation.
• Updated CIBMTR Outcomes Data: Learn about recent outcomes data, including overall survival and subsequent cancers post-transplant.
• Expectations for Organ Function and Recovery: Understand what to anticipate during the recovery process.
• Ongoing Psychosocial Supports for Patients and Their Families: Explore the vital role of emotional and social support.
• Patient Lived Experiences: Real patient stories provide valuable insights.

The webinar featured presentations by Genesis Jones, RN, Dr. Mary Eapen from the Medical College of Wisconsin, and Dr. Elizabeth Stenger from UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

Release Date: 4/26/2025

Expiration Date: 4/30/2026

Estimated Time to Complete Activity: One hour

Reviewed and recertified date: 4/26/2025

Live event: September 29, 2021

Original release date: September 30, 2021

Statement of Need:

The Sickle Cell Warriors Program at NMDP is a patient services program that assists in typing for patients, financial assistance, counseling, patient education and providing peer connections. The primary feedback from patients in the Sickle Cell Warrior Program is that #1 barrier to treatment is physicians. Patients report that they are not being told about all of their treatment options; regardless of disease severity, they should at least be made aware of various options, but often they are not. Many patients go to the Sickle Cell Warriors Program to enroll in a clinical trial for transplant, but this usually does not cover cost of HLA typing. In this case, the referring physician has not gone through the process of HLA typing, either because of misinformation or because the physician refuses to provide an order for typing simply because they don’t agree with patients’ physicians. This is a clear miscommunication between the community oncologists and transplant physicians. In surveys, transplant physicians identify a lack of awareness, lack of confidence, and reliance on outdated data from the referring physicians. These referring physicians in a similar survey reported that their primary reason for not communicating all treatment options was noncompliance in patients who they did not believe had the means to move forward with treatment. This illustrates a complex problem between the three groups (referring community physicians, transplant physicians, and the patients themselves) that this webinar series aims to address.

Target Audience:
This activity is intended for physicians, both referring physicians and transplant specialists, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who are part of the multidisciplinary team.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this education activity, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the long-term psychosocial impacts in patients and their caregivers after transplant, and identify potential supports for long term survivorships.
2. Define the general guidelines for post-transplant care in order to set expectations for patients in their recovery.
3. Summarize trends in outcomes data, including rates of subsequent cancers after transplant.

Accreditation 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The France Foundation (TFF), the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). The France Foundation is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit Designation 
Physicians
The France Foundation designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  

Method of Participation/How to Receive Credit:
There are no fees for participating and receiving credit for this activity. Successful completion is achieved by reviewing the CE information, completing the pre-test, completing the activity, and completing the post-test and evaluation form. A score of at least 75% on the posttest is required to successfully complete this activity. The participant may take the test until successfully passed.
If you are requesting AMA credits or a certificate of participation, your certificate will be available for download. 

Disclosure Policy:
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require that individuals in a position to control the content of an educational activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with a commercial entity. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT resolve all conflicts of interest to ensure independence, objectivity, balance, and scientific rigor in all their educational programs. Furthermore, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT seek to verify that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CME/CE activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT are committed to providing learners with high-quality CME/CE activities that promote improvements in health care and not those of a commercial interest.
Planning committee members, faculty, reviewers, and activity staff have disclosed the following relevant financial relationships. All relevant financial relationships listed have been mitigated.

Commercial Supporter Disclosures
No commercial support was provided for this webinar.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use:
TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require CME faculty (speakers) to disclose when products or procedures being discussed are off label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational, and any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary, or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty in this activity may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of US Food and Drug Administration approved labeling. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. If you have questions, contact the Medical Affairs Department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

Disclaimer:
TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT present this information for educational purposes only. The content is provided solely by faculty who have been selected because of recognized expertise in their field. Participants have the professional responsibility to ensure that products are prescribed and used appropriately on the basis of their own clinical judgment and accepted standards of care. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT assume no liability for the information herein.

This webinar was held in honor of Sickle Cell Awareness month, and delves into crucial topics related to patients with sickle cell disease and transplant:

• Challenges in Finding Stem Cell Sources: Clinicians and patient speakers discuss the obstacles faced by both physicians and patients throughout the process.
• Socioeconomic Barriers: Explore the impact of socioeconomic factors on sickle cell care.
• Physicians’ Attitudes and Practices: Understand how healthcare providers approach sickle cell management.
• NMDP’s Sickle Cell Warriors Program: Learn about this program’s role in supporting patients.
• Information about Clinical Trials: Stay informed about ongoing research.

The webinar was moderated by Anna DeSalvo, a Senior Clinical Trials Patient Navigator with the NMDP Sickle Cell Warriors Program, and features a presentation by Dr. Lakshmanan Krishnamurti from Emory University. Additionally, each session highlights real patient experiences related to the discussed topics.

Release Date: 4/26/2025

Expiration Date: 4/30/2026

Estimated time to complete activity: One hour

Reviewed and recertified date: 4/26/2025

Live event: September 20, 2021

Original release date: September 21, 2021

Statement of Need:
The Sickle Cell Warriors Program at NMDP is a patient services program that assists in typing for patients, financial assistance, counseling, patient education and providing peer connections. The primary feedback from patients in the Sickle Cell Warrior Program is that #1 barrier to treatment is physicians. Patients report that they are not being told about all of their treatment options; regardless of disease severity, they should at least be made aware of various options, but often they are not. Many patients go to the Sickle Cell Warriors Program to enroll in a clinical trial for transplant, but this usually does not cover cost of HLA typing. In this case, the referring physician has not gone through the process of HLA typing, either because of misinformation or because the physician refuses to provide an order for typing simply because they don’t agree with patients’ physicians. This is a clear miscommunication between the community oncologists and transplant physicians. In surveys, transplant physicians identify a lack of awareness, lack of confidence, and reliance on outdated data from the referring physicians. These referring physicians in a similar survey reported that their primary reason for not communicating all treatment options was noncompliance in patients who they did not believe had the means to move forward with treatment. This illustrates a complex problem between the three groups (referring community physicians, transplant physicians, and the patients themselves) that this webinar series aims to address.

Target Audience:
This activity is intended for physicians, both referring physicians and transplant specialists, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who are part of the multidisciplinary team.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this education activity, participants will be able to:

1. Review potential challenges in finding an appropriate stem cell source and enrolling in clinical trials.
2. Identify potential socioeconomic barriers for patients in the transplant process, and relevant supports and programs to alleviate potential barriers and burdens.
3. Examine any underlying hesitancy in colleagues in the field, to help engage colleagues in a meaningful way throughout the transplant process. 

Accreditation

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The France Foundation (TFF), the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). The France Foundation is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit Designation 

Physicians

The France Foundation designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  

Method of Participation/How to Receive Credit:

There are no fees for participating and receiving credit for this activity. Successful completion is achieved by reviewing the CE information, completing the pre-test, completing the activity, and completing the post-test and evaluation form. A score of at least 75% on the posttest is required to successfully complete this activity. The participant may take the test until successfully passed.
If you are requesting AMA credits or a certificate of participation, your certificate will be available for download. 

Disclosure Policy:
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require that individuals in a position to control the content of an educational activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with a commercial entity. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT resolve all conflicts of interest to ensure independence, objectivity, balance, and scientific rigor in all their educational programs. Furthermore, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT seek to verify that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CME/CE activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT are committed to providing learners with high-quality CME/CE activities that promote improvements in health care and not those of a commercial interest.

Planning committee members, faculty, reviewers, and activity staff have disclosed the following relevant financial relationships. All relevant financial relationships listed have been mitigated.

Commercial Supporter Disclosures
No commercial support was provided for this webinar.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use:
TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require CME faculty (speakers) to disclose when products or procedures being discussed are off label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational, and any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary, or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty in this activity may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of US Food and Drug Administration approved labeling. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. If you have questions, contact the Medical Affairs Department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

Disclaimer:
TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT present this information for educational purposes only. The content is provided solely by faculty who have been selected because of recognized expertise in their field. Participants have the professional responsibility to ensure that products are prescribed and used appropriately on the basis of their own clinical judgment and accepted standards of care. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT assume no liability for the information herein.

This activity, recorded during Sickle Cell Awareness month, delves into crucial topics related to patients with sickle cell disease and transplant:

• ASH Guidelines for BMT with Sickle Cell Disease: Learn about the latest guidelines.
• Optimizing Patients for Transplant: Understand how to prepare patients effectively.
• Patient Selection Criteria: Explore the factors considered when selecting patients for transplant.

The webinar features presentations by Rochelle Williams-Belizaire, MPH, CPH, Dr. Santosh Saraf (UIC) and Dr. Mark Walters (UCSF). Additionally, each session includes real patient experiences related to the discussed topics.

Release Date: 4/26/2025

Expiration Date: 4/30/2026

Estimated Time to Complete Activity: One hour

Reviewed and recertified date: 4/26/2025

Live event: September 15, 2021

Original release date: September 16, 2021

Statement of Need:

The Sickle Cell Warriors Program at NMDP is a patient services program that assists in typing for patients, financial assistance, counseling, patient education and providing peer connections. The primary feedback from patients in the Sickle Cell Warrior Program is that #1 barrier to treatment is physicians. Patients report that they are not being told about all of their treatment options; regardless of disease severity, they should at least be made aware of various options, but often they are not. Many patients go to the Sickle Cell Warriors Program to enroll in a clinical trial for transplant, but this usually does not cover cost of HLA typing. In this case, the referring physician has not gone through the process of HLA typing, either because of misinformation or because the physician refuses to provide an order for typing simply because they don’t agree with patients’ physicians. This is a clear miscommunication between the community oncologists and transplant physicians. In surveys, transplant physicians identify a lack of awareness, lack of confidence, and reliance on outdated data from the referring physicians. These referring physicians in a similar survey reported that their primary reason for not communicating all treatment options was noncompliance in patients who they did not believe had the means to move forward with treatment. This illustrates a complex problem between the three groups (referring community physicians, transplant physicians, and the patients themselves) that this webinar series aims to address.

Target Audience:

This activity is intended for physicians, both referring physicians and transplant specialists, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who are part of the multidisciplinary team.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this education activity, participants will be able to:

1. Explain methods to optimize patients for transplant
2. Identify the ASH Guidelines for BMT in Sickle Cell Disease
3. Apply patient selection criteria to case studies.

Accreditation

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The France Foundation (TFF), the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). The France Foundation is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Credit Designation 

Physicians

The France Foundation designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  

Method of Participation/How to Receive Credit:

There are no fees for participating and receiving credit for this activity. Successful completion is achieved by reviewing the CE information, completing the pre-test, completing the activity, and completing the post-test and evaluation form. A score of at least 75% on the posttest is required to successfully complete this activity. The participant may take the test until successfully passed.

If you are requesting AMA credits or a certificate of participation, your certificate will be available for download. 

Disclosure Policy:

In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require that individuals in a position to control the content of an educational activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with a commercial entity. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT resolve all conflicts of interest to ensure independence, objectivity, balance, and scientific rigor in all their educational programs. Furthermore, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT seek to verify that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CME/CE activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT are committed to providing learners with high-quality CME/CE activities that promote improvements in health care and not those of a commercial interest.

Planning committee members, faculty, reviewers, and activity staff have disclosed the following relevant financial relationships. All relevant financial relationships listed have been mitigated.

Commercial Supporter Disclosures

No commercial support was provided for this webinar.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use:

TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require CME faculty (speakers) to disclose when products or procedures being discussed are off label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational, and any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary, or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty in this activity may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of US Food and Drug Administration approved labeling. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. If you have questions, contact the Medical Affairs Department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

Disclaimer:

TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT present this information for educational purposes only. The content is provided solely by faculty who have been selected because of recognized expertise in their field. Participants have the professional responsibility to ensure that products are prescribed and used appropriately on the basis of their own clinical judgment and accepted standards of care. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT assume no liability for the information herein.

This webinar, the inaugural event in the ASTCT & National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP)/Be The Match® Sickle Cell Webinar Series, was originally broadcast on September 7, 2023, coinciding with Sickle Cell Awareness month.  The session featured presentations by clinicians and patient speakers focusing on the referral process for patients with sickle cell disease to curative options with transplant. The topics covered included general principles of referral and consultation, psychosocial supports for patients during the referral process, and successful education models from New Jersey that facilitate connections between community hematology and oncology physicians and transplant specialists. 

Dr. Maryam Zia moderated the webinar, and the presenters included Ana Gordon, a referral coordinator at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Dr. Jennifer Krajewski from Hackensack Meridian Health. 

Each webinar in this series will also showcase patient's lived experiences related to the topics discussed.

This webinar was recorded and recently reviewed to extend CME accreditation until 4/30/26.

Accreditation 

In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by The France Foundation (TFF),  the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), and the American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT). The France Foundation is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Reviewed and recertified date: April 24, 2025

Live event: September 7, 2021

Original release date: September 8, 2021

Credit available until: April 30, 2026

Estimated Time to Complete Activity: One hour

To view the full CME information for this activity, please click here. 

Continuing Medical Education Information

Statement of Need: The Sickle Cell Warriors Program at NMDP is a patient services program that assists in typing for patients, financial assistance, counseling, patient education and providing peer connections. The primary feedback from patients in the Sickle Cell Warrior Program is that #1 barrier to treatment is physicians. Patients report that they are not being told about all of their treatment options; regardless of disease severity, they should at least be made aware of various options, but often they are not. Many patients go to the Sickle Cell Warriors Program to enroll in a clinical trial for transplant, but this usually does not cover cost of HLA typing. In this case, the referring physician has not gone through the process of HLA typing, either because of misinformation or because the physician refuses to provide an order for typing simply because they don’t agree with patients physicians. This is a clear miscommunication between the community oncologists and transplant physicians. In surveys, transplant physicians identify a lack of awareness, lack of confidence, and reliance on outdated data from the referring physicians. These referring physicians in a similar survey reported that their primary reason for not communicating all treatment options was noncompliance in patients who they did not believe had the means to move forward with treatment. This illustrates a complex problem between the three groups (referring community physicians, transplant physicians, and the patients themselves) that this webinar series aims to address.

Target Audience: This activity is intended for physicians, both referring physicians and transplant specialists, scientists, and other healthcare professionals who are part of the multidisciplinary team.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this education activity, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the general principles for referring patients with sickle cell disease to transplant consultations.
2. Identify areas of strengths and gaps for patient’s psychosocial support throughout the referral, decision making, and transplant process.
3. Recognize opportunities for further communication and peer education with community oncologists, hematologists and transplant physicians in order to increase rates of getting sickle cell patients to curative options.

Credit Designation 
Physicians
The France Foundation designates this enduring activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.  

Method of Participation/How to Receive Credit:
There are no fees for participating and receiving credit for this activity. Successful completion is achieved by reviewing the CE information, completing the pre-test, completing the activity, and completing the post-test and evaluation form. A score of at least 75% on the posttest is required to successfully complete this activity. The participant may take the test until successfully passed.
If you are requesting AMA credits or a certificate of participation, your certificate will be available for download. 

Disclosure Policy:
In accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require that individuals in a position to control the content of an educational activity disclose all relevant financial relationships with a commercial entity. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT resolve all conflicts of interest to ensure independence, objectivity, balance, and scientific rigor in all their educational programs. Furthermore, TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT seek to verify that all scientific research referred to, reported, or used in a CME/CE activity conforms to the generally accepted standards of experimental design, data collection, and analysis. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT are committed to providing learners with high-quality CME/CE activities that promote improvements in health care and not those of a commercial interest.

Planning committee members, faculty, reviewers, and activity staff have disclosed the following relevant financial relationships. All relevant financial relationships listed have been mitigated.

Commercial Supporter Disclosures
No commercial support was provided for this webinar.

Disclosure of Unlabeled Use: TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT require CME faculty (speakers) to disclose when products or procedures being discussed are off label, unlabeled, experimental, and/or investigational, and any limitations on the information that is presented, such as data that are preliminary, or that represent ongoing research, interim analyses, and/or unsupported opinion. Faculty in this activity may discuss information about pharmaceutical agents that is outside of US Food and Drug Administration approved labeling. This information is intended solely for continuing medical education and is not intended to promote off-label use of these medications. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT do not recommend the use of any agent outside of the labeled indications. If you have questions, contact the Medical Affairs Department of the manufacturer for the most recent prescribing information.

Disclaimer: TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT present this information for educational purposes only. The content is provided solely by faculty who have been selected because of recognized expertise in their field. Participants have the professional responsibility to ensure that products are prescribed and used appropriately on the basis of their own clinical judgment and accepted standards of care. TFF, NMDP, and ASTCT assume no liability for the information herein.