July 7 , 2022

IPOPI attends the International Plasma Protein Congress in Berlin

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The International Plasma Protein Congress was held in person in Berlin (Germany) on 14 and 15 June 2022. This was the first edition since the pandemic and focused on the need to increase plasma collection in Europe to facilitate the access of patients to their plasma-derived medicinal products (PDMPs), such as immunoglobulin replacement therapies.

Martine Pergent, IPOPI President, spoke during the first day on how the EU could approach plasma so as to increase plasma collection in order to improve patient access to PDMPs. Speakers at this session agreed that more was required to increase awareness on the need for plasma collection and its usage as well as the need for a strong structure to allow PDMP development.

The second day was focused on the value that PDMPs have to patients relying on them and how their access to these live-saving therapies could be optimised. Prof Martin van Hagen, University Medical Center Rotterdam and Vice-chair of IPOPI Medical Advisory Panel, took part in a panel discussion on how EU Pharmaceutical Strategy could facilitate access to critical medicines such as immunoglobulin replacement therapies.

Leire Solis, Health Policy and Advocacy Senior Manager at IPOPI, provided the patient perspective in a panel dedicated to the revision of the EU legislation which should consider more precise definitions to clearly define and differentiate blood from plasma – and from plasma for the manufacturing of PDMPs with the objective of enhancing patient access to PDMPs.

This year’s Hilhenhaus Award was given to Professor Volker Wahn for his work for more than 40 years as a clinical immunologist and his contribution to raising awareness about primary immunodeficiencies.