A deeply troubling and dangerous trend was brought to my attention this month. Unregulated “bloodletting” treatments are being performed by self-styled beauticians and wellness influencers, claiming to improve circulation and relieve fatigue by removing large quantities of “heavy, stagnant blood full of waste.” These pseudo-medical procedures are carried out without clinical training, hygiene standards, or medical oversight and are often promoted via social media using misleading health claims and pseudoscience. In response, I publicly emphasised the availability of NHS Blood and Transplant’s safe, regulated donation services, where individuals can contribute to the blood supply in a clinically supervised environment and don’t need to pay for it!
Sadly, this is not an isolated phenomenon. Across the UK, we are seeing a proliferation of unregulated intravenous vitamin infusions marketed as immune boosters or anti-ageing cures. Similarly, “ozone therapy” and “cupping” are being promoted as treatments for everything from long COVID to cancer. There are a variety of “detox” services, all of which lack clinical evidence and safety oversight.
This “wild west” of unregulated health practice is a significant patient safety issue. We urgently need tighter regulation, licensing of private health services, and public education to help patients distinguish between evidence-based medicine and dangerous misinformation.
In stark contrast to these unsafe practices, haematology continues to shine as a beacon of scientific and clinical progress. This month has seen landmark developments across Medical Haematology and Haemato-oncology, each demonstrating the transformative power of evidence-based innovation:
The first NHS doses of Hemgenix, gene therapy for severe haemophilia B, have been delivered at Oxford and Guy’s and St Thomas’ and the new UKHCDO guidelines will support its structured rollout. This aims to eliminate the burden of regular lifelong prophylaxis- durability has been confirmed in a 13-year follow-up study. At the same time, the UK has become one of the first countries to offer Casgevy, CRISPR-Cas9 therapy, for sickle cell disease and β-thalassaemia. Most patients treated remain hospital-free years after receiving therapy, with promising long-term safety and efficacy.
The NHS has also just launched belantamab mafodotin (Blenrep) for relapsed/refractory myeloma. This antibody-drug conjugate, now approved by NICE, is expected to benefit 1,500 patients a year, delaying disease progression by approximately three years compared to standard therapies. The potential of chemo-free regimens was demonstrated by the UK-led FLAIR trial, which redefined frontline care for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The combination of ibrutinib and venetoclax achieved 94% progression-free survival at five years, far outstripping that seen with conventional chemotherapy.
Preclinical breakthroughs are also advancing rapidly. The TARGET study at the University of York is developing oral therapies aimed at leukemic stem cells to reduce relapse and toxicity in older AML patients. Parallel UK research has identified PHD enzyme inhibitors and BCL6-degrader molecules with promise in AML and B-cell lymphoma - compounds that may soon enter clinical trials.
Encouragingly, these efforts are receiving significant new investment, including a £4.9 million funding boost from Blood Cancer UK to support CAR-T trials, oral therapies in APL, and enhanced real-world data analysis.
These advances are more than scientific milestones -they are transforming lives. They remind us why high standards, robust oversight, and rigorous research matter. And it is these outputs that drive us and make our time in haematology so rewarding, wherever it be along the chain from original science to clinical care. At BSH we are committed to supporting opportunities for our members at all these stages and are kicking off our Research Strategy Review Group.
Alongside this we are thrilled that eJHaem has received its first Impact Factor - 1.2. This is a remarkable achievement for such a young journal. Although BJHaem’s Impact Factor has dipped to 3.9, ways to strengthen it have already been identified, including adjusting article classifications and increasing special thematic issues. BJHaem has also introduced format-free submissions, simplifying the process and making it easier for authors to submit. With our new Editors in Chief, these journals will go from strength to strength.
I’m pleased to share that our final BSH team member, Dina Almuli, has now joined us as Director of Corporate and Membership Services. Her arrival marks a significant milestone, completing the foundation for the fourth pillar of our strategy -our horizontal pillar - focused on building a strong infrastructure and organisational foundation. This supports and enables our work across the other three pillars: membership, knowledge sharing, and advocacy. With our team now complete, we are well-positioned to deliver on our ambitions and continue growing the Society’s impact and reach.
Having robust IT systems and a comprehensive website is also key to delivering our aims. We have shortlisted four potential suppliers to support the overhaul of our digital infrastructure. We are now moving into the difficult task of choosing between them and I will keep you updated as work progresses.
We’ve also just launched our mentoring scheme, with 13 mentors and 31 mentees already signed up. This initiative was born from a proposal by the Early Careers Forum and is open to all members. We’re also seeking a new Chair for the Forum (click here to apply.)
Lastly, our member survey is now live. Please do take a few minutes to share your thoughts - it’s a vital tool to ensure the Society’s direction remains closely aligned with your needs. The BSH is here to support you, and we need to know how!