At the EAHAD 2019 Congress, in Prague, Czech Republic, we honoured two professionals for their work for and service to the haemophilia and allied disorders community in Europe and around the world, with the EAHAD Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Haemophilia and Allied Disorders field. One of the two recipients is Prof Edward Tuddenham, leading haematologist from the Royal Free Hospital in London. We took the opportunity to interview Prof Tuddenham on his beginnings, his thoughts on the shape of the haemophilia field today, as well as his future plans.

At the EAHAD 2019 Congress, in Prague, Czech Republic, we honoured two professionals for their work for and service to the haemophilia and allied disorders community in Europe and around the world, with the EAHAD Recognition Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Haemophilia and Allied Disorders field. One of the two recipients is physiotherapist Mr Piet de Kleijn, a current member and past chair of the EAHAD Physiotherapists Committee. We took the opportunity to interview him on his beginnings, his thoughts on the shape of the haemophilia field today, and his future plans.  

In March 2019, “Scope of practice of haemophilia physiotherapists: A European survey” was published in Haemophilia. Developed by the EAHAD Physiotherapists Committee in 2018, the web‐based survey was conducted with the aim to quantify the role and scope of practice of physiotherapists involved in haemophilia care. It included questions concerning work practices, assessment and treatment activities, and level of autonomy.

The objective of the EAHAD Research Grants is to foster pre-clinical and clinical research collaborations in Europe and to support scientific projects aimed at improving the care of patients with inherited and acquired bleeding disorders.   For the 2019 cycle, we received 16 applications of great quality and scientific interest from 11 European countries. These were reviewed by a committee and by subject matter experts. Following the final decision, two 2019 Research Grants recipients were announced during the last day of the EAHAD 2019 Congress. They are:

From 5 to 8 February, the EAHAD 2019 Congress took place in Prague, Czech Republic. Prague, the city in the heart of Europe, welcomed more than 2600 delegates from over 80 countries for an unforgettable scientific experience. The 12th Annual Congress took place at the Prague Congress Centre, with a beautiful view over the historic city, and was the place to be for discussions on the latest treatment developments and ongoing clinical challenges in managing haemophilia and other related bleeding disorders.

EAHAD is inviting haemophilia physiotherapists to apply for two vacant posts on its Physiotherapists Committee. The positions are for a three-year term that would begin in February 2020.   Physiotherapists Committee membership offers an opportunity to contribute to the development and implementation of physiotherapy and inter-professional EAHAD projects and events, including the Multidisciplinary Pre-Congress Day.

EAHAD is pleased to announce the formation of a Working Group on Women and Bleeding Disorders, following the approval of a proposal to the Executive Committee in September. The Working Group’s mandate will last two years with its official first meeting set to take place during the 2019 EAHAD Congress in Prague.

We are excited to announce that our 2019 Congress will feature an interactive half-day workshop for Young Investigators on 5 February on the topics of:   1. Finding the answer to your question – a workshop on study design 2. How to write and publish your research   Research projects have the aim to answer questions that are vital for medical progress. To perform a successful research project, it is essential to formulate the right research question and to use the right design for the study. Once the study is completed, it is paramount to share your results by getting them published.   The aim of this Young Investigator Workshop is to teach clinical and translational researchers:  

Dr Jan Blatny is not only a member of the EAHAD Executive Committee, but also the President of the EAHAD 2019 Congress in Prague, taking place from 6 to 8 February 2019. In the lead up to the Prague meeting, we had the opportunity to talk with Dr Blatny. We asked him among other things to shed some light on his background, the highlights and challenges associated with his work as Congress President, as well as his perspective on the future of haemophilia and allied disorders in Europe.