The European Haemophilia Consortium (EHC) has developed a new video to mark the Council of Europe Resolution on principles concerning haemophilia therapies issued on 15 April 2015, which promotes the following six principles:
- To optimise the organisation of haemophilia care, a system should be established in each member State to allow the implementation of a multidisciplinary approach for the treatment and care of patients (for example by setting up an advisory body including representatives of the relevant clinicians, national haemophilia bodies, patients’ organisations, the health ministry, the paying authority, blood establishments and the regulatory authorities or by setting up centres of excellence);
- In each member State, the coagulation factor VIII utilisation level should be at least 3 International Units (IU) per capita;
- Decisions on whether to use a new or an alternative product should be based on evidence of safety and effectiveness and not solely on cost;
- The evidence of the effectiveness of different treatment regimes should be strengthened. Prophylaxis is currently recognised as the optimum therapy for children with severe haemophilia. Ongoing prophylaxis for adults should be provided, when required based on a clinical decision by the clinician in consultation with the patient;
- Prophylactic treatment with bypassing agents should be offered to haemophiliac children who have developed inhibitors and in whom immune tolerance induction therapy has failed or was unsuitable;
- Single coagulation factor concentrates should be used as therapy wherever possible in patients with rare bleeding disorders.
The video can now be viewed here below and on the EHC YouTube Channel.