Conferences, meetings and virtual events
In January 2025, CEBaP participated in the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM) Blood Conference in Strasbourg, France. We had the pleasure of presenting results from our scoping review and systematic review on the impact of plasmapheresis frequency on donor health, conducted in the context of the SUPPLY project, which focuses on strengthening voluntary non-remunerated plasma collection capacity in Europe. Our SUPPLY recommendations on plasmapheresis frequency and IgG monitoring were included in the 2025 EDQM Blood Guide.
From 31 May to 4 June, the 35th Regional Congress of the International Society of Blood Transfusion took place in Milan, Italy, bringing together experts from around the world to share the latest advancements in transfusion medicine. We were honoured to receive the Vox Sanguinis Best Paper Prize for a randomized controlled trial on the effects of plasmapheresis frequency on health status and exercise performance in men, a collaboration between Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) and Belgian Red Cross–Flanders. We also contributed with a poster on our systematic review of modelling studies on easing blood donation deferral policies for men who have sex with men on blood safety and supply, and an oral presentation on our study on HIV prevalence and associated risk factors among Belgium’s transgender and non-binary community (in collaboration with Ghent University Hospital and the Institute of Tropical Medicine).
From 9 to 12 September, CEBaP participated in the 6th Donor Health Management Conference in Wijk aan Zee in the Netherlands, organized by the European Blood Alliance and Sanquin Research. CEBaP researcher and PhD student Luce presented the results of our systematic review of modelling studies assessing the impact of easing deferral policies for men who have sex with men on the safety of blood products. We had an inspiring visit at the Sanquin Headquarters in Amsterdam and attended numerous interesting talks focused on initiatives to improve donor health, as well as innovative strategies for donor recruitment and diversification of the donor pool.
Later in September, from the 16th to the 19th, two CEBaP researchers attended the annual Guidelines International Network conference in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference centred on 'Innovation and Partnership for Health in All Policies'. We contributed with three oral presentations on (1) prioritising topics for a guideline update, (2) incorporating field perspectives in the development of need-tailored research questions, and (3) adopting a multidisciplinary approach to research questions for which published evidence is lacking.
It has become a yearly tradition for CEBaP to proudly participate as an Evidence Ambassador in World Evidence-Based Healthcare (EBHC) Day, celebrated each year on 20 October. This global initiative, this year centred around Collaborative Knowledge Communication, highlights the importance of evidence-informed policy and practice to improve health outcomes. We contributed our signature whiteboard drawing that illustrates evidence-based practice through a first aid example, a blog on the development and dissemination of our Listen! First aid for mental health problems guidance manual, and a blog on balancing donor safety with plasma self-sufficiency through the SUPPLY project. As part of the Connected Conversations series, CEBaP researcher and Cochrane First Aid coordinator Jorien featured in a video on 'Building trust and addressing misinformation in healthcare'.
Between 20 and 22 October 2025, as a member of the First Aid Task Force, CEBaP attended the annual face-to-face meeting of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. During the meeting, ongoing systematic and scoping reviews were discussed and a strategic brainstorm exercise was carried out. CEBaP researcher Jorien hosted an interactive workshop on how to assess the certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach.
Later that week, CEBaP also made several contributions to the subsequent European Resuscitation Council (ERC) conference Resuscitation 2025, held from 23 to 25 October 2025 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. As a member of the Writing Group for the ERC Guidelines 2025 chapter on first aid, CEBaP talked about the decision to include 'Suicidal thoughts' as a topic, and the key actions a first aid provider can undertake in this situation. We also co-facilitated a workshop on improvised first aid tools for life-threatening conditions, and moderated a poster session on some impressive initiatives and research on resuscitation in Europe.
On 8 November 2025, CEBaP Director Emmy presented the ERC Guidelines 2025 First Aid during the 7th edition of the conference of the Belgian Resuscitation Council in Leuven, Belgium. The day consisted of lectures, practical workshops and interactive discussions bringing together clinicians, nurses, paramedics, researchers and instructors. Our contribution was published as a conference paper in a Dutch journal for care professionals.
On 23 November 2025, in collaboration with our colleagues from the Transfusion Research Centre and the Blood Service, CEBaP welcomed science enthusiasts at the headquarters of Belgian Red Cross-Flanders in Mechelen during Science Day [in Dutch: Dag van de Wetenschap]. During an interactive science fair targeting a broad audience, the CEBaP team shared why and how we conduct primary and secondary research on first aid and blood donation, and how our work can inform and influence practice.
