Clinical News
American Society of Hematology’s
2014 ANNUAL MEETING PROGRAM PREVIEW
ow that the “ASH Dash” to submit abstracts is finished, we can
look forward to taking advantage
of everything this year’s annual
meeting in San Francisco has to offer. The
meeting is jam-packed with educational and
networking opportunities, so to help you get
the most out of your experience, we asked
ASH’s Education and Scientific Program
Co-Chairs to give us a personal tour of highlights of this year’s event.
ASHClinicalNews.org
Education Program Co-Chairs
Margaret V. Ragni, MD, MPH
University of Pittsburgh
Hemophilia Center of Western PA
Pittsburgh, PA
Jonathan Friedberg, MD
James P. Wilmot Cancer Center
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY
In your opinion, what are the “can’tmiss” events attendees should put on
their schedules?
Dr. Ragni: I think this year’s program is
outstanding, but since it’s impossible to
attend every session, there are a few that
I think people should be adding to their
agendas. I predict the highly acclaimed
symposium on “The Basic Science of
Hemostasis and Thrombosis” (Tuesday,
December 9, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m.) will
be on many people’s short lists. If you’re
interested in new agents, I would also
recommend attending “Targeted Oral
Anticoagulants: Skating on Thin Ice with
Blood Thinners,” which will offer guidance
about the practical use and monitoring of
these agents.
For clinicians who regularly treat young
children or elderly patients, I think the
Education Spotlight session on “Venous
Thromboembolism in Vulnerable Populations” will offer some very useful information. And, last but not least, the “Best
of ASH” session will provide some great
take-home information.
Dr. Friedberg: In addition to the more
formal didactic sessions, the program
includes the Education Spotlight Sessions
and “How I Treat” sessions that provide
a more intimate setting for complicated
or controversial topics to be discussed. In
particular, I believe the Spotlight Sessions
on PET imaging and T-cell lymphoma will
be particularly well-attended. These have
limited seating, too, so I’d advise people
to get there early. We also have a very distinguished panel of experts on the “How
I Treat” roster, so attendees should make
their reservations early for those, as well.
Which sessions will tackle challenging
clinical situations?
Dr. Ragni: The “How I Treat” sessions will
also be particularly useful for information
about applying science to clinical dilemmas; the small-group format fosters some
great discussion among speakers and
attendees. Thrombosis will be a theme of
several sessions, with a special focus on
the latest recommendations on thromboprophylaxis in cancer and the findings of
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