ASH Statement on Restructuring and Mass Layoffs Announced at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

“The American Society of Hematology is gravely concerned that the sweeping changes announced at HHS halt research progress and jeopardize care for patients with blood diseases.

HHS and its agencies support critical research and care, and unilateral cuts or changes to those programs will be devastating to thousands of patients and their families. Research from the NIH supported the groundbreaking FDA approval of the first gene therapy for sickle cell disease and more effective treatments, including CAR T-cell therapy, which has helped save countless lives when all other treatment options failed, for blood cancers. Projects like the CDC’s Sickle Cell Data Collection Program provide key insights into the care of individuals living with sickle cell disease and Hemophilia Treatment Centers organized by the Health Resources & Services Administration provide essential care to individuals with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders. We must not lose the momentum of decades of progress in hematology.

We urge the Administration and Secretary Kennedy to carefully consider the profound unintended consequences of these actions. The Administration must work with Congress, health care organizations, and the patient community to preserve the United States’ role as the world leader in cutting-edge research and patient care.”