Patients Take Center Stage at EHA 2026

Modern hematology treatment must not only focus on evidence of clinical outcomes. As patients with malignant hematologic diseases live longer, their experiences and quality of life should increasingly be incorporated into both research and clinical practice. This is also reflected in the new EHA recommendations for Hemoglobinopathies.

This year, Stockholm welcomes around 8,000 physicians and researchers from across the globe to the 31^stEHA Congress. As is tradition, the editorial team from BestPractice Nordic will be present throughout the congress, publishing MEDtalks and articles featuring both Nordic and international delegates. Coverage will focus on selected presentations and posters within CLL, AML, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and sickle cell disease. The congress takes place from June 11 to 14.

New EHA Recommendations

This year, we will also focus on sickle cell disease and thalassemia, following the publication of the new EHA Recommendations for Preconception and Antenatal Screening and Prenatal Diagnosis for Hemoglobinopathies in HemaSphere on May 29, 2026. The European Hematology Association (EHA) Topic-in-Focus (TIF) Hemoglobinopathies Group brought together hematologists, patients, anthropologists, and an obstetrician from Europe, the Middle East, India, and Africa. The working group included Andreas Glenthøj, Head of the Danish Red Blood Cell Center at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital. Sickle cell disease was also among the major focus areas at ASH 2025.

According to Andreas Glenthøj, these recommendations address an important need for structured, culturally sensitive, and evidence-informed approaches to carrier screening, antenatal screening, prenatal diagnosis, and communication with families. The recommendations emphasise that the aim is not to direct reproductive decisions but to ensure that individuals and couples receive appropriate information about reproductive risks and available options.

Patient quality of life

As patients with malignant hematologic diseases live longer due to the development of new and improved therapies, it becomes increasingly important to incorporate patients’ experiences of their disease and treatment into both clinical care and research. Consequently, patient quality of life and unmet needs have become key themes at this year’s EHA Congress, including a deeper understanding of what matters most to people living with hematologic diseases.

Presentations addressing these topics will primarily focus on anaemia, sickle cell disease, leukaemia, and lymphoma. Several sessions are dedicated to patient-centred care, ranging from communication tools and strategies to patient-reported outcomes. Their shared objective is to demonstrate the importance of involving patients in modern hematologic care and, increasingly, in the design and conduct of future research.