Championing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Hematology

Building and nurturing a more equitable and diverse workforce has always been a priority for ASH. The hematology community is global, and ASH understands the importance of having individuals with diverse perspectives and experiences in all areas of the field.

The Minority Recruitment Initiative (MRI) celebrated its 20th anniversary this year. In those 20 years, the initiative supported the education and careers of hundreds of people, with more than 500 awards distributed since 2003, enriching the field at large.

The Doris Duke Foundation awarded ASH a grant to address a critical health equity concern: Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) reference ranges based on Duffy status. Individuals with Duffy-null have naturally occurring lower ANC, which is not accounted for in current reference ranges. This leads to a number of consequences including unnecessary bone marrow biopsies, early termination of life-saving chemotherapy, and exclusion from clinical trials. The new project will attempt to establish new Duffy-null–specific reference ranges for adults and children to improve collective understanding and care for these individuals.