HRSA Announces Fall ACBSCT Meetings

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced two upcoming meetings of the Advisory Council on Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (ACBSCT) on Sept. 8. The meetings will take place virtually from 2 to 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, Sept. 28, and Thursday, Oct. 26. 

The agenda for the September meeting is still being developed but may include the following topics:

• A periodic review of the state of the science of using adult stem cells and birthing tissues to develop new types of therapies for patients (for the purpose of considering potential inclusion of such new therapies in the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program).
• Criteria for defining a high-quality cord blood unit for banking specifications.
• Unmet needs in blood stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy.
• Strategies to improve rates of donation for adult blood stem cell donors.
• Other areas to increase blood stem cell donation and transplantation.

The agenda for the October meeting will be determined based on discussion, priorities, and/or action items from the September meeting. All agenda items will be posted online no later than 10 days prior to the respective meeting dates.

Public participants may submit written statements in advance of the scheduled meetings. Instructions are available in the Sept. 8 Federal Register notice.