Global Patients’ Meeting 2024: A Milestone for our Community
From 16-19 October, IPOPI’s XVIII Global Patients’ Meeting (GPM) brought together 100 participants from nearly 50 countries, in Marseille, marking a record number of National Member Organisations (NMOs). Held alongside the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID) and the International Nursing Group for Immunodeficiencies’ (INGID) congresses, this flagship biennial event highlighted collaboration across the primary immunodeficiency (PID) community.
Programme
This meeting featured insightful sessions on mental health, innovative therapies, artificial intelligence and much more. IPOPI introduced two key tools: the “Level Up” Board Game, and a new Toolkit with 25+ practical resources. The programme was well-balanced, combining educational sessions with skill-building workshops to empower attendees with practical tools and strategies to strengthen their organisations. Watch the meeting recap here.
We thank Chiesi, CSL Behring, Takeda, X4, and Biotest support for making this programme possible.
On October 17, the IPOPI community also came together to honour outstanding contributions to the primary immunodeficiency (PID) field through the PID Champion Awards. Watch the highlights from the event here.
- The LeBien Award, honouring outstanding contributions to improving conditions for PID patients worldwide, was awarded to Prof Aziz Bousfiha (Morocco). A long-time IPOPI supporter, he has been instrumental in advancing PID diagnosis and treatment in Africa and beyond.
- The Luciano Vassalli Award, which honours young individuals under 30 who have made a difference in the world of PIDs at the national level, was awarded to David Jimenez Gonzalez from Spain (AEDIP), for his advocacy work and patient support in Spain.
- The B.I.G. Award, celebrating Bold, Innovative and Game-changing projects, saw inspiring NMOs recognised for their impactful work. This year´s winners were:
- 1st place: PIDPSB, Bangladesh.
- 2nd place: PID Tsubasa-no-Kai, Japan.
- 3rd place: AAPPI, Algeria.
Watch the awards video here.
We thank Kedrion for making this event possible with their unconditional grant.
Annual General Meeting – New Executive Committee
During the Annual General Meeting on October 18, IPOPI announced its newly elected Executive Committee for 2024-2028: Cynthia Olotch (Kenya), Roberta Anido (Argentina), Tracy Shaw (USA), and Dimas Adhi Sugiharto (Indonesia). Bruce Lim (Malaysia) was co-opted for the 2024-2026 term.
The GPM 2024 was a remarkable gathering of the global PID community, marked by collaboration, innovation and advancement. We look forward to building on its success in the years to come.
More event photos: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.
Meet the winners of the PID Champion Awards Ceremony 2024
At every Global Patients’ Meeting, the IPOPI community comes together to honour outstanding contributions to the primary immunodeficiency (PID) field through the PID Champion Awards. On October 17, 2024, individuals and organisations whose efforts have made a significant impact were celebrated during a sparkling award ceremony.
The prestigious LeBien Award was presented to Prof Aziz Bousfiha (Morocco), a long-time supporter of IPOPI and a key member of our Medical Advisory Panel. A pioneer in PID care in Africa and founder of several PID societies, he has played a crucial role in improving diagnosis and treatment across the continent. Presented by the patient community, this award recognises his exceptional contributions to improving conditions for PID patients globally and honours the LeBien family’s legacy of dedication to the PID community, inspired by IPOPI’s visionary founder, Bob LeBien.
The Luciano Vassalli Award, which honours young individuals under 30 who have made a difference in the world of PIDs at the national level, was awarded to David Jimenez Gonzalez from Spain (AEDIP). As a board member of AEDIP and a PID patient, David has played a vital role in organising key events, attending political meetings, and supporting newly diagnosed individuals. He also actively engages in IPOPI meetings, sharing his personal experiences at various forums.
The B.I.G. Award, celebrating Bold, Innovative, and Game-changing projects, saw inspiring NMOs recognised for their impactful work. This award aims to acknowledge best practice projects from IPOPI members and to support benchmarking initiatives:
· 1st place: PIDPSB, Bangladesh, accepted by Iqbal Hossain (President).
· 2nd place: PID Tsubasa-no-Kai, Japan, accepted by Emi Homareda (Board Member).
· 3rd place: AAPPI, Algeria, accepted by Ali Nacer (President).
Congratulations to all the winners for their dedication and inspiring work in the PID community!
We would like to thank Kedrion for making this important event possible through their support with an unconditional grant.
IPOPI’s 2023 Review of Activities and Achievements
In 2023, IPOPI made significant strides in improving primary immunodeficiencies (PIDs) care through impactful events, campaigns, and policy efforts, all aligned with our 2021-2025 strategic plan. A major highlight was the record-breaking International Primary Immunodeficiencies Congress (IPIC) in Rotterdam, which attracted nearly 900 attendees and fostered collaboration, advancing clinical care.
Throughout the year, we released a mini-documentary exploring primary and secondary immunodeficiencies, covering important aspects of diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, we published three new educational PID leaflets. We organised key events, including several EU PID Forums in the European Parliament, a successful African and Latin American regional meeting, and a well-attended national meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.
In addition to these accomplishments, we strengthened our partnerships with global stakeholders, enhancing our collective advocacy efforts. Our work in addressing plasma safety standards and promoting equitable access to essential treatments has laid a solid foundation for future progress. We are committed to continuing our mission of empowering the PID community and driving meaningful change.
We hope you will enjoy reading this annual report, which highlights the most significant IPOPI initiatives, campaigns, and events in the previous year.
Explore the annual review
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