Dear members,

ATAGI have updated their advice regarding recommendations for a 3^rd and 4^th dose of COVID vaccine for severely immunocompromised patients. This is relevant to many patients with blood cancers and other blood disorders, 

Best wishes
Steven Lane

Click here for Fact Sheet from ATAGI

HSANZ submitted letters on your behalf to the Department of Health and RACP to advocate for Members following the changes to the Telehealth legislation.

The Federal Government has responded to the proactive advocacy efforts by many collegiate specialist organisations since December last year by announcing yesterday (16 January) they will allocate $24million for telehealth support for MBS phone call consults and temporary measures for telehealth consultations for hospital in-patients. Notably, temporary specialist inpatient telehealth video and phone MBS items and initial and complex specialist telephone consultation items, and longer telephone consultations for GP’s until 30 June 2022.

To view the Press Release, click here

The 2021 Australasian Fungal Guidelines, endorsed by HSANZ, have now been published. 

Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/toc/14455994/2021/51/S7

HSANZ Council congratulates Trainee Member, Katharine Lewis for the distinction of being presented with the ASH/HSANZ Abstract Award. You may have seen her oral presentation last week at the ASH conference.

This is a piece Kat wrote for HSANZ to introduce herself and her work:

My name is Katharine (Kat) Lewis and I came to Perth, WA from the UK for a lymphoma and clinical trials fellowship in late 2018, having completed my specialist examinations and almost all my haematology training in the UK prior to moving over.  In my role here, I’ve gained a broad experience in lymphoma and clinical trials, and treated many patients at Linear Clinical Research and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital as part of our clinical trials programme, as well as in the public healthcare system.  I’ve been blessed to have lots of research opportunities in my fellowship role, and have recently had the privilege of leading a large international retrospective project investigating the effectiveness of HD-MTX (intravenous methotrexate) at reducing CNS relapse in patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma at greatest risk of this complication.  We included 2,300 high risk patients in the study, from 21 sites across Australia, Europe, the US and Asia.  In our study, HD-MTX did not reduce rates of CNS relapse in these high risk patients.  CNS relapse is a relatively rare event in aggressive B-cell lymphoma (around 10% in the highest risk patient group), and large studies are required to demonstrate small but meaningful differences in CNS prophylactic strategies in these patients.  Our study is the largest to date, and provides some of the best evidence that HD-MTX is ineffective at preventing CNS relapse for this group of patients.  We anticipate the results will influence global clinical practice, with fewer patients recommended to receive HD-MTX, reducing toxicity and inpatient admissions without increasing CNS relapse risk. 

It’s an honour to receive the ASH-HSANZ award for the study, and to have had the opportunity to give a virtual oral presentation at ASH 2021.

PhD opportunity in Transfusion and Health Economics – Blood Synergy and Monash University

Applications close 9th January 2022

A fully-funded PhD position is available to undertake research in the CLIP cryopreserved (frozen) platelet clinical trial health economics program. The proposed project will utilise the National Transfusion Dataset containing clinical, laboratory and transfusion data from multiple hospitals to refine an existing profile of platelet use in Australia and develop a better understanding of current platelet use in different patient groups.
 

The prospective student will have the opportunity to work with a highly dynamic multidisciplinary group of clinicians and researchers within the ANZIC RC, NHMRC Blood Synergy program, Transfusion Research Unit, and Centre for Health Economics, all at Monash University. The supervisor team will include Dr Lisa Higgins, A/Prof Zoe McQuilten, and Prof Michael Reade.

Candidates must have a degree or masters in a relevant discipline, with strong academic results. The project would suit candidates with prior experience in transfusion, health economics, public health or health-related research. Applicants must fulfil the criteria for PhD admission to Monash University.

For further details and how to apply, visit: Jobs at Monash

HSANZ has been working hard in collaboration with RCPAQAP  to create CPD opportunities for Members.  These will be rolled out during the next year and below, we invite you to participate in two Haematology Case Studies for CPD.

The case studies are open to Haematologists and registrars in Australia and New Zealand. Scientists with relevant experience may also submit responses. Your answers will not be graded, and a discussion report will be emailed after your submission for self-assessment.

Each case study has three sections, completion of all three sections will award you 30 minutes towards RCPA CPD.  You can access the first section of each case below; you can navigate to the subsequent sections using the links at the end of sections 1 and 2.

Closing date: 5pm AEDT, 31 January, 2022

Case Study 1 relates to abnormal haematology and biochemistry results, morphology, as well as flow cytometry and conventional Cytogenetics.
Case study 1, Section 1 of 3

Case Study 2 will explore the investigation of anaemia in a young woman.
Case Study 2, Section 1 of 3

ACORD22 Protocol Development Workshop 

The Medical Oncology Group of Australia invites applications from early-career clinical cancer researchers from all oncology subspecialties based in the Asia Pacific region for our third one-week online ACORD22 Protocol Development Workshop. 

ACORD’s global focus, task-oriented format, collaborative approach, and one-on-one guidance, mentoring and networking with world-renowned faculty, make it a unique career-enhancing opportunity.

Early-career clinical cancer researchers, from all specialties and disciplines, are encouraged to submit their ideas for selection

ACORD22 Workshop

25 – 30 Sep | Online

Submission Deadline: 31 March 2022

HSANZ  and ALLG Welcome the House of Representatives’ Standing Committee Report tabled in Parliament 25 November 2021

Overview:

The ALLG and HSANZ welcomes the Report tabled in Parliament 25/11/21 on ‘The New Frontier - Delivering better health for all Australians: Inquiry into approval processes for new drugs and novel medical technologies in Australia’, by the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport.

Medical innovation has grown exponentially in recent years. The approval processes for new medicines are very complex, and this report discusses different ways to streamline them to provide better and faster patient access to treatments; without compromising on patient safety, efficacy or cost effectiveness.

The Committee’s Report details 31 recommendations which aim to help government improve and reform the regulatory and reimbursement system; and helps pave the way for the improvements needed to provide Australians with the best possible health care now and into the future.

To read the full ALLG and HSANZ statement, click here

This article, co-authored by Steven Lane in The Hematologist provides a summary of the recent literature regarding COVID Vaccination responses in patients with blood cancers. This might be of use when providing information to patients about their options to prevent COVID19 infection.

Click here for the link

Dear Colleagues, re: The ATAGI recommendation for COVID Vaccination in immunocompromised patients

This is an important recommendation from ATAGI and is relevant to many patients with haematological disorders who may have reduced response to standard COVID vaccination regimens. 
Steven Lane, President HSANZ

Click here for document