Foreword from the Secretary General 2024 - 2025
Gwen Clarke, ISBT Secretary General
June 2024 ISBT brought many society members and transfusion professionals together for the 38th International Congress in Barcelona, Spain. This Barcelona Congress, originally planned for 2020, was delayed by pandemic related cancellations. The 2024 Barcelona event was worth waiting for.
The Scientific Secretary, (Jason Acker), the ISBT Vice-Presidents, (Jill Storry and Lin Fung) the ISBT office staff, the Scientific Planning Committee members and abstract reviewers as well as MCI Amsterdam once again contributed expertise and organizational acumen, in leading a successful, well attended and informative congress. In addition to new discoveries presented at scientific sessions, many educational sessions and corporate symposia were available for attendees.
Working party meetings and board meetings were also held ahead of the congress, ensuring that the society continues to move forward in its mission of sharing knowledge to advance transfusion practice.
Once again, a selection of presentations from the international congress are available in the webcast library found at the ISBT Education Portal.
Throughout the year the ISBT Board and central office continued working toward fulfilment of the strategic plan. With the current initiatives nearing completion preparation also began for a new strategic planning workshop to be held in 2025 with the intention of setting goals and timelines for the next 5 years.
The review of the ISBT Statutes and By-laws continued with a final draft completed during the 2024 -2025 year. The updated and modernized statutes and by- laws will be brought to the membership for review and voting at the 2025 and 2026 General Assemblies.
At the end of March 2025 ISBT membership stood at 2025 individual members and 32 affiliate societies. All WHO regions and 119 countries are represented within the Society.
Individual members
Affiliate Societies
Vox Sanguinis had a successful year under the continued editorial leadership of Miquel Lozano. This year marked the first with an entirely online format. This change has allowed for increased page and article numbers with reduced costs as well as decreasing transportation and printing related impacts.
The 16 ISBT WPs continue to be an active and vital part of the Society, contributing congress materials, organizing live webinars with an educational focus, providing organizational tools and resources for members and for the transfusion community as well as hosting workshops and conducting research. A proposed new ISBT WP for Basic Transfusion Biology met at the Barcelona Congress to gauge interest and define scope, and the WP was approved by the ISBT Board in March 2025. ISBT members are encouraged to consider involvement with the WPs that relate to their areas of interest and to find out more about membership information on the website.
Two ISBT Awards were given in 2024; The annual Vox Best paper prize 2023 was also awarded along with the Judith Chapman award, the Jean Juilliard award and the ISBT developing country award. The ISBT Presidential Award was conferred. Harold Gunson Fellowships were provided to 18 delegates. The ISBT website in the “about” tab also provides information on all ISBT awards along with former awardees. Visit the Awards Page.
I look forward to seeing many of you in person at the upcoming Regional Congress of the ISBT in Milan, Italy. Please plan on attending the General Assembly if you are attending the Congress.
