Academy
Shaping the Future of Haemovigilance: Highlights from the 2026 IHN Symposium in Rome
Barbee I. Whitaker
IHN, USA
Betina Samuelsen Soerensen
Regional blood establishment and hospital blood banks, Denmark
Livia Cannata
Head of the International Relations Division at the Centro Nazionale Sangue (CNS), Italy
Shruthi Narayan
Shruthi Narayan, SHOT, UK
Barbora Jacobsen
Department of Immunology and Transfusion medicine, St.Olavs hospital, Trondheim, Norway
Luciana Teofili
EDQM, Italy
Ursula La Rocca
Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
The 2026 International Haemovigilance Network (IHN) Symposium brought together global experts in transfusion safety, surveillance, and innovation in Rome, Italy, from 18–20 March 2026.
Hosted at the historic Quirinale Hotel, the Symposium reflected the continued strength of international collaboration in advancing haemovigilance systems worldwide. Organised jointly by the IHN and Italy’s Centro Nazionale Sangue (CNS), with support from the ISBT Academy, the event built on the success of previous meetings, including the 2024 Symposium in Athens, and convened a diverse, multidisciplinary community committed to improving donor and patient safety through shared learning and innovation.
The Symposium attracted 157 participants from 34 countries, including representation from several nations attending for the first time. Hybrid access enabled additional virtual participation, further extending the reach and inclusivity of the meeting. The programme featured nine scientific sessions, 44 speakers and moderators, and a robust scientific component including 36 poster presentations and four oral abstracts. This breadth of participation and engagement highlights IHN’s expanding global footprint and its increasing importance as a platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and innovation in haemovigilance.
Welcome
Presentation
Organisers
Across the three-day meeting, the programme delivered a rich and integrated exploration of haemovigilance, combining national experiences, global perspectives, regulatory developments, and emerging innovations into a cohesive and forward-looking agenda. The Symposium opened with welcoming remarks from Italian hosts and IHN leadership, setting the stage for a dedicated session on Italian haemovigilance systems and insights, supported by translation to broaden accessibility and engagement. Building on this foundation, sessions transitioned to international perspectives, including reflections on the 15-year anniversary of the WHO Notify Library—a key global resource supporting vigilance and the documentation of adverse events, alongside contributions from countries such as Italy, Brazil, and Albania. As discussions evolved, a strong emphasis emerged on the growing role of digital transformation in haemovigilance, with presentations addressing big data, precision donor health, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence, highlighting how technological advancements are reshaping surveillance systems and enabling more proactive approaches to safety.
The programme continued by examining clinical risks and regulatory frameworks, including delayed reactions in both blood donors and transfusion recipients, followed by an engaging discussion on the implementation of the new European Union Regulation (EU) 2024/1938 on standards of quality and safety for substances of human origin (SoHO) intended for human application which replaces the previous EU blood and tissues and cells Directives and extends their scope to all SoHO , with particular attention to vigilance requirements and the role of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). These discussions underscored the increasing complexity of regulatory environments and the need for co-ordinated, system-level responses. Further sessions explored paediatric transfusion safety, drawing on long-term haemovigilance data to inform best practices, and addressed constraints on blood supply, including challenges related to platelet availability, infectious risks, environmental contaminants, and the broader impacts of climate change. These themes highlighted the interconnected nature of haemovigilance, where clinical, environmental, and systemic factors converge.
The final part of the programme focused on emerging and high-interest topics that reflect the evolving frontiers of transfusion practice, including the use of freeze-dried plasma in preclinical settings, cold-stored platelets, low-titre group O whole blood in specific patient populations, and pre-hospital transfusion strategies, including insights from the SWIFT Trial. Attention then turned to human factors and safety systems, emphasising the importance of designing processes that minimise the risk of adverse events, followed by a panel discussion on traceability, a longstanding cornerstone of haemovigilance systems. Complementing the formal sessions, the Symposium provided ample opportunity for interaction and networking, including a well-attended welcome reception and extensive engagement with poster presentations, further reinforcing the collaborative and community-oriented nature of the event.
Panel
The Symposium concluded with the IHN Awards Session, recognising outstanding contributions to haemovigilance. The IHN Award was presented to Dr. Barbee Whitaker for her individual contributions to the field, and to the UK Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) programme in recognition of its leadership and impact. The IHN Medal was awarded to Øystein Flesland for his significant contributions to Norwegian haemovigilance and to IHN. These awards reflect the dedication and leadership that continue to drive progress in transfusion safety globally.
Key Takeaways
- Global collaboration continues to strengthen, with growing participation and representation across regions.
- Digital innovation is playing an increasingly central role in haemovigilance, particularly in data analysis, surveillance, and system integration.
- Participants strongly value practical, data-driven, and clinically relevant content, particularly case studies and real-world applications.
- Emerging challenges—including climate change, infectious risks, and supply constraints—require coordinated, multidisciplinary approaches.
- Human factors, system design, and traceability remain fundamental to preventing adverse events and improving safety outcomes.
- The interactive, community-focused format of the Symposium is a key strength that supports meaningful collaboration and knowledge exchange.
Feedback from the post-event survey confirms the Symposium’s success across all measured dimensions. All respondents rated their overall experience positively, with an average score of 4.68 out of 5, and no low ratings recorded. Organisation, communication, and staff support emerged as the highest-rated aspects, achieving an average score of 4.76 out of 5, reflecting the strength of operational delivery and participant experience. The scientific programme was also highly regarded, with 34 evaluated sessions receiving an average rating of 4.37 out of 5 and consistently strong feedback across the breadth of content. Notably, 81.5% of respondents indicated that they intend to participate in future IHN Symposia, with no respondents indicating otherwise, demonstrating strong engagement and loyalty within the IHN community.
Participants consistently highlighted the high quality and relevance of the scientific programme, the strong organisation and communication, and the welcoming, inclusive atmosphere of the meeting. The Symposium’s scale was seen as a particular strength—large enough to provide breadth and diversity of content, yet small enough to support meaningful interaction and discussion. Top-rated sessions frequently focused on practical case studies, donor and paediatric safety, and future-facing topics, reinforcing the importance of applied, data-driven learning. Constructive feedback focused on opportunities for further enhancement, including increasing time for IHN working group discussions, providing additional clinical context for data-intensive sessions, refining interpretation and translation services, and continuing to improve catering variety and clarity. Importantly, these suggestions reflect incremental improvements rather than fundamental challenges, indicating a strong foundation on which future Symposia can build.
IHN Medal
IHN Award
The 2026 IHN Symposium in Rome successfully combined scientific excellence, operational quality, and global collaboration, reinforcing its role as a leading international forum for haemovigilance. The event demonstrated the importance of innovation, inclusivity, and shared learning in addressing current and emerging challenges in transfusion safety. As haemovigilance continues to evolve in response to technological advances and global health dynamics, the IHN Symposium remains a vital platform for connecting experts, advancing knowledge, and shaping the future of safer transfusion practices worldwide.
