The WhiMSICAL research team, led by researchers in Australia, has received approval to present their findings during a poster presentation at the American Society of Hematology’s annual meeting in December 2017. This is a significant achievement and validation of their efforts thus far, as not all applicants get approved to present at ASH! Congratulations should go out to all WM patients around the world who have participated thus far, as it is our data that made this possible.
The WhiMSICAL findings will be published after the ASH meeting, and will be made available to the WM community worldwide at that time.
Additionally, IWMF President Carl Harrington and the team will be presenting details and findings at the upcoming 3rd annual IWMF-LLS Strategic Research Roadmap Summit meeting. This is the meeting where leading WM researchers from around the world, gather to evaluate and discuss primary focus areas for WM-specific research. See details about the Research Roadmap.
While the presentations at both meetings point to the viability of the WhiMSICAL database, there is a CRITICAL need for more patients to participate, and for more data to be entered by participants. With just a few minutes of our time, each of us can make a significant contribution to advance research to develop better treatments and a cure for WM…..and to assist in convincing government agencies to fund treatments for patients! See more details and to participate.
As Andrew Warden, the Leader of the IWMF affiliate in Australia, WMOzzies, stated recently on IWMF Connect(link is external) (the IWMF’s online discussion group):
“The government funding authorities in the UK and Australia as well as Canada require objective evidence that the high cost of new treatments such as ibrutinib are justified in comparisons with current gold standard treatments. Rare diseases suffer because of lack of the required patient evidence. WhiMSICAL can help provide this evidence.”
The WhiMSICAL database is a vital complement to ongoing clinical trials. Both seek to provide strong relevant information needed to arrive at approvals for novel treatment protocols and to convince decision-makers to provide funding for those treatments.
As Carl Harrington says, “if you want to ‘pay it forward’ and help current and future WM patients around the world, then participate in WhiMSICAL! We all have our disease data. All we have to do is enter it in WhiMSICAL to make a difference for WMers now and in the future.”
See more details about WhiMSICAL, and participate now!. Set aside whatever you’re doing and do it now. Please help us reach 1000 participating WMers!