Dear BSBMTCT member,

February is a short, cold and dark month, but we’ve seen some general improvement in relation to the challenges of Covid, including delivery of specific treatments across our centres and a perhaps a more optimistic feeling that we can make some steps towards normality in our services – albeit taking a significantly more cautious approach that the government has projected for wider society, given our responsibilities to our vulnerable patient population.  For the time being, we need to remain vigilant in respect to our local situations as well as maintaining good communication and shared experiences as a UK BMT Community so we navigate the best way through, whilst being  ready to be flexible as the situation may change over the matter of weeks (as it did in December). BSBMTCT guidelines continue to be updated accordingly https://bsbmtct.org/bsbmtct-and-covid/.

We have some upcoming meetings:

• BSBMTCT Scientific Day – Wednesday 11^th May 2022

Programme details https://collaborativeconferences.co.uk/bsb9-home/

Registration https://collaborativeconferences.co.uk/bsb9-registration/

• BSBMTCT Clinical Trials Sub-committee Meeting – Monday 16^th May 2022 – 11-3pm – this will also be a fully virtual event, agenda and dial in details to be shared shortly. Unfortunately we are unable to accept any new proposals at this May meeting. For further information please contact lee@kcl.ac.uk
• We are planning a hybrid BSBMTCT Educational Day in early November (date TBC), which we hope will enable many of us to get together in person, whilst others can connect in remotely.

EBMT also has its annual meeting from 19 to 23 March in Prague, held in a hybrid form. Hopefully all will go smoothly, and advice will be provided by EBMT regarding the international situation (which involves more than  Covid). There is the possibility for BSBMTCT support for attendance at EBMT available –The BSBMTCT are supporting individuals wishing to attend EBMT Congress and other BMT related meetings, please contact julia.lee@kcl.ac.uk for an application form and more details.

Commissioners’ report

The 13^th Commissioners report preparation is underway, we will be looking at transplants performed between 2016 and 2020 as well as all CAR-T data. Please ensure that all registrations and follow ups are updated by Friday 1^st April 2022. Reports to be made available in late summer to members that have paid their annual subscription.

Our very best wishes – hopefully dark days will be over soon (generally), and the longer warmer daylight of Spring will be upon us soon

John Snowden, Kim Orchard, Fiona Dignan, Deborah Richardson, Eduardo Olavarria, & Julia Lee