ABSTRACT
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is the most common inherited blood disorder worldwide, leading to severe complications, reduced life expectancy, and impaired quality of life. Standard treatments, including hydroxyurea, infection prevention, and transfusion therapies, aim to prevent complications. Automated red blood cell exchange (aRBCX) is an efficient and well-tolerated modality that rapidly and sustainably reduces HbS levels. However, its implementation remains limited due to challenges like blood supply, vascular access, cost, and logistics constraints. To explore these issues, Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies (TBCT) convened an expert workshop during the 19th Annual ASCAT congress in October 2024. The objective was to collect insights from experts and patient associations from several countries, to understand clinical practice, identify key barriers and actionable strategies to optimize aRBCX access for SCD patients.