It’s been more than three years since I had the opportunity to attend the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and even longer since I had the chance to visit one of my favorite US cities, New Orleans; it seems that neither has missed a beat. Conference attendance was as strong as any year I could remember, and there was a multitude of new data presentations focused on blood disorders and hematologic malignancies such as lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and sickle-cell disease.  Several presenters placed a strong emphasis on cost effectiveness, access, and equity with respect to these treatment areas.

This was the first conference I attended alongside my colleague Simon Deutsch and his first trip to both the ASH Annual Meeting and New Orleans.  It was a great experience introducing him to everything the meeting had to offer: the exhibit hall, poster sessions, clinical presentations and the local Cajun food and culture.

The 2022 ASH Annual Meeting coincided with the quarterfinals round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the conference coordinators took full advantage; they created soccer-themed picture stations adorned with flags of the participating countries, ASH-themed soccer jerseys and scarves for sale. In addition, there were two large outdoor viewing areas for conference attendees to take a break and watch the live matches.  With significant Ex-US attendance and matches including countries like England and France, these viewing stations looked like small concerts with people shoulder to shoulder the entire length of the convention center sidewalk.

For many, the ASH Annual Meeting represents the industry’s last chance to connect and share updates before things slow down for the holidays and the year ends.  To everyone we had the chance to connect with, and for those who could not attend, we at Healio Strategic Solutions look forward to seeing you next year and wish you Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

For more information on Healio Strategic Solutions’ products and solutions, email me at [email protected] or DM me on LinkedIn. I look forward to connecting with you!