Latest information from the World Federation of Hemophilia in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic

On behalf of everyone at the WFH, we hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

Along with the rest of the world, we are learning how to navigate the new realities brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through it all, we remain committed to working—safely from home—to deliver on our mission of ensuring all patients have access to care, regardless of where they live.

As you have probably heard by now, we had to take the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the WFH 2020 World Congress, which was to take place in Kuala Lumpur from June 14 to 17. The WFH World Congress is the largest international meeting for the global bleeding disorders community, bringing together doctors, scientists, healthcare workers, people with bleeding disorders and hemophilia organizations. While we cannot meet in Malaysia, we are working hard to find new and creative ways to connect and to provide opportunities for information and knowledge exchange, as our community expects.

The health and safety of patients with bleeding disorders around the world continues to be our top priority. Our Medical Advisory Board and Coagulation Products Safety, Supply and Access Committee (CPSSAC) have issued important recommendations for hemophilia patients and continue to monitor the situation very closely. At this stage, we have no reason to fear a shortage of treatment supplies, manufacturing issues or interruption in the global supply chain and our partners continue to provide us and the community with regular updates. We want to especially thank all the healthcare workers who are on the front lines in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and who continue to serve our community.

There is no question that we are facing substantial challenges. The lockdowns in effect around the world, closed borders, reductions in air travel and resulting increases in freight charges have made it especially challenging for us to deliver humanitarian aid around the world. The WFH Humanitarian Aid team is working around the clock to assess the situation with each recipient country, temporarily adjust usage to ensure stocks are available for emergency situations, and find viable alternatives to get products into the hands of those who need them most.

Despite these challenges, we have no doubt about the strength and resilience of the global bleeding disorders community. April 17th is World Hemophilia Day and this year, we invite you to stay safe and Get+involved virtually. Share your story and connect with the global community on worldhemophiliaday.org and post about your experiences on social media. While the physical distance between us is larger than ever, let us not lose that vital connection to each other.

We also invite you to join us on April 9th at 10am EDT for a special webinar on the risks and treatment of COVID-19 in people with hemophilia. We have gathered a panel of international experts including Glenn Pierce, MD, PhD, (U.SA.), Flora Peyvandi, MD, (Italy) and Magdy El Ekiaby, MD, (Egypt) to share the latest updates and to answer your questions.

You have heard it said many times already—these are unprecedented times. We are all being challenged to find solutions, to think creatively, and to remember what matters most. For us, that is all of you. Thank you for supporting us as we meet these challenges and continue working alongside all of you in service of every person living with a bleeding disorder around the world.