ABOUT ICBCC

A multi-stakeholder coalition consisting of representatives from the global patient advocacy and clinical community has formed the International COVID-19 Blood Cancer Coalition (ICBCC) to address the specific impact of the pandemic on immunocompromised blood cancer patients (both acute and chronic), and to recommend solutions and actions to mitigate those risks.

Why did we see such an urgent need to form the ICBCC?

The problem of the immunocompromised (IC) during the COVID-19 pandemic:

• 2-3 % of the total global population are immunocompromised –> more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19, poor outcomes
• Antibody responses of IC patients to COVID-19 vaccines & boosters have been repeatedly proven less predictable and robust when compared to the general population.
• IC patients in general, and blood cancer patients in particular, have:
  1. Much greater risk from COVID-19 incl. higher rates of hospitalization, ICU admissions and death.
  2. Higher rates of breakthrough infections after being fully vaccinated.
  3. Higher rates of their infection spreading from household contacts.
  4. No simple lab test to reliably predict protection post vaccination.
  5. Shown in some cases to carry and shed SARS-CoV-2 for months –> risk of introducing potentially dangerous new mutations into the broader population.
• Circumstances of immunocompromised patients have been neglected. Marked differences across geographical locations.

The CLL Advocates Network (CLLAN) is acting as secretariat on behalf of the coalition.

The coalition has prepared a Joint Patient Impact Statement for use in different countries to aid when advocating for the provision of anti-COVID-19 treatment and care for immunocompromised (IC) blood cancer patients.

The Statement has to date been endorsed by networks and national organisations of the global patient advocacy community as well as renowned medical societies and representatives from the global clinical community
(73 endorsers to date).

To learn more about ICBCC´s latest activities and its presence at different congresses and meetings, please visit the LATEST NEWS section!