The ASTCT-NMDP ACCESS Initiative: A Collaboration to Address and Sustain Equal Outcomes for All across the Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Ecosystem
Jeffery J. Auletta, Brenda M. Sandmaier, Erica Jensen, Navneet S. Majhail, Jessica Knutson, Eneida R. Nemecek, Femina Ajayi-Hackworth, Stella M. Davies
Abstract
The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (ASTCT) and the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) have formed the ACCESS Initiative to address and reduce barriers to hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and cellular therapy (CT) in an effort to ensure equal access and outcomes for all patients in need. In addition to cellular therapy physicians, the initiative includes program administrators, health policy and health equity experts, health service researchers, participants from commercial payer organizations, and federal stakeholders. The inaugural ASTCT-NMDP ACCESS Workshop was held in Washington, DC on July 28 and 29, 2022, wherein committee members met to discuss and to define goals for 3 focus areas: awareness, poverty, and racial and ethnic inequity. This position paper reviews the mission, vision, and structure of the ACCESS Initiative and the proceedings from the inaugural workshop and provides an initial roadmap for the group's efforts at reducing access barriers and outcome disparities in HCT/CT.