EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR BLOOD AND MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

CAR-T's Geography Problem: Why Approval Doesn't Equal Access

- Geographic distance from a qualified treatment centre is one of the strongest predictors of whether an eligible patient receives CAR-T therapy, according to research published in Blood Advances. - Despite six CAR-T products receiving EMA marketing authorisation across 15 haematologic malignancies, several Eastern European nations have yet to report any commercial CAR-T use. - An analysis of G7 countries showed France and Germany funded 92% of CAR-T indications assessed, while England funded only 50% and Australia just 33%. - Hospital pharmacists play a critical but under-recognised role in bridging the access gap, from coordinating logistics to participating in health technology assessment bodies.