From the President’s desk

As we stand at the dawn of a new year and the launch of IPOPI’s Strategic Plan 2026–2030, this is a fitting moment to pause, reflect, and look ahead with both gratitude and ambition. Our journey so far has been one of commitment, innovation, and continuous learning. As we move forward, these values will remain our guiding compass.

The world of immunology is expanding and transforming before our eyes. Immunodeficiencies, once seen in isolation, are now recognised as part of a continuum — from functional deficiencies to autoimmunity, inflammation, allergy, and even cancer. In this evolving landscape, very prevalent immunological diseases such as cancers coexist with rare and ultra-rare conditions, all interconnected through shared mechanisms and pathways.

Naturally, much public health attention turns toward common diseases, and rightly so. Yet, more and more world regions are also demonstrating a growing commitment to addressing rare immunological diseases, even formalising this vision through the creation of Rare Diseases National Plans, following Europe, which pioneered this approach. This momentum reinforces a broader truth: our collective understanding and impact will grow only through cross-fertilisation: between immunology and haematology, between rare and prevalent conditions, between fields and disciplines.

Primary Immunodeficiencies (PIDs) offer a powerful lens for this dialogue. We now know that some patients diagnosed with haematological malignancies, in childhood or adulthood, actually have an underlying undiagnosed PID. Conversely, some people living with PID carry a slightly higher risk of developing certain cancers. Here lies a fertile ground for collaboration, bridging expertise to improve diagnostics, care, and outcomes.

But our reflections should not stop at diagnosis. Treatment represents another shared frontier. Many PID patients face recurrent, severe, or atypical infections: an area where the experience of our community can shed light on infection prevention and management for other conditions. This is increasingly relevant as infections now drive much of the morbidity seen in patients with lymphoma, myeloma, or leukaemia, more so than the diseases themselves.

Add to this the growing number of individuals who become immunodeficient due to treatments for autoimmune conditions or malignancies, for example, and the picture becomes even clearer: collaboration across specialities is not optional, it is essential. Shared clinical experience, harmonised protocols, and informed joint policies can help address common challenges, such as the growing need for immunoglobulins or the global threat of antimicrobial resistance.

As IPOPI embarks on this new five-year chapter, our ambition is clear: to foster closer cooperation between communities working on rare and non-rare diseases alike, to build bridges across specialities, and to pursue research that embraces complexity with multidisciplinary insight. This is how we can bring efficient, equitable, and forward-looking solutions to the patients we serve. We represent a consistent group of more than 600 treatable rare diseases, a strong community of stakeholders, which appears to be an excellent case to address comparable challenges in other immunological conditions.

To all our partners, supporters, and patient advocate colleagues, the whole IPOPI team thank you for your unwavering commitment. Let’s continue to learn from one another, work together, and shape a future defined by collaboration and progress.

As the year comes to a close, we wish those of you who can have restful and joyful holidays with family and friends. We look forward to reconnecting in January, ready and energised for our meaningful work ahead.