EHA 2026. Global MPN brings the patient voice to the heart of hematology

Global MPN Scientific Foundation took part in EHA 2026 in Stockholm, strengthening its connection with the hematology community, industry, international experts and the voice of people living with MPN.

The European Hematology Association Congress (EHA 2026) took place this year in Stockholm, bringing together thousands of hematologists, researchers, healthcare professionals, industry representatives and patient advocates from around the world.

A major international meeting for hematology

EHA is one of the most relevant international congresses in the field of hematology. Over several days, different scientific sessions take place in parallel, addressing new research, clinical trials, therapeutic developments and updates across different blood diseases. It is a large and intense event, with multiple rooms hosting simultaneous presentations and thousands of participants moving from one session to another.

For the MPN field, meetings such as EHA offer a highly valuable space to learn about ongoing research, listen to international experts and understand how scientific advances may influence the future of care for people living with polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and myelofibrosis.

Strengthening collaboration with industry and the scientific community

One of the main objectives of Global MPN at EHA 2026 was to continue the dialogue with industry partners and strengthen ongoing projects. During the congress, Peter held meetings with different pharmaceutical companies and collaborators involved in MPN research and patient-centered initiatives. These conversations were positive and productive, helping to move forward several projects connected to the foundation’s mission.

For Global MPN, collaboration with industry is essential when it is built on transparency, listening and a shared commitment to improving the lives of patients. Scientific progress is not created in isolation. It requires connection between researchers, healthcare professionals, companies, patient organizations and the people who live with the disease every day.

“Caring for the patient is just as important as caring for the disease”

One of the key moments for the foundation was Peter’s participation in an official EHA session, where he spoke to an audience made up mainly of physicians and scientific professionals. It was a particularly meaningful moment, as Peter gave his presentation both as a patient and as the founder of Global MPN, sharing a very important message:

“Caring for the disease is just as important as caring for the patient.”

In complex chronic blood cancers such as MPN, medical care cannot be separated from patients’ everyday reality. People live with symptoms, uncertainty, treatment decisions, emotional impact, questions about the future and the need for reliable information. Bringing this perspective to a scientific congress helps remind the hematology community that progress should also be measured by the ability to listen to, understand and better support patients.

The patient voice must be part of scientific spaces

Peter’s experience at EHA 2026 also highlighted an important contrast. Although the congress promotes a vision of hematology without borders, patient organizations can still face limitations when trying to access certain spaces, such as industry exhibition areas, due to existing regulatory frameworks.

For patient organizations, these barriers show that there is still work to be done to fully integrate the patient voice into scientific and medical environments. Patients and their representatives are not external observers. Their experience can help identify unmet needs, improve communication, support education and ensure that research remains connected to real life.

At Global MPN, we believe that meaningful progress in MPN requires the participation of all voices: physicians, researchers, industry, caregivers and patients.

Looking ahead to EHA 2027 in Barcelona

The next EHA Congress will take place in Barcelona in 2027, a particularly important location for Global MPN. This next edition will be a turning point for the foundation, as it will be held in Spain and will offer new opportunities to increase visibility, strengthen collaborations and generate greater value for the MPN patient community.

The foundation is already working on how to prepare for EHA 2027 and how to make the most of this opportunity for the benefit of patients.

Continuing to make the invisible visible

EHA 2026 was a demanding and highly valuable experience for Global MPN Scientific Foundation. The congress provided access to scientific updates, international conversations and strategic meetings that will help guide future projects.

Global MPN remains committed to bringing scientific knowledge closer to patients, supporting community-led initiatives and ensuring that the real experience of living with MPN continues to be heard and valued in the spaces where the future of hematology is being shaped.

Because the patient voice is not an addition to science. It is part of science, part of care and part of the future of hematology.