Attendees at the 2012 National Hemophilia Foundation’s (NHF) Washington Days event received training on advocacy before meeting with their elected officials. Afterward they got a crash course on genotyping. With genotyping, a blood sample is sent to an experienced laboratory that analyzes the DNA to determine which specific genetic mutations cause a disease, such as hemophilia, von Willebrand disease or rare factor deficiencies.
Novo Nordisk provided an educational grant for a dinner for 290 Washington Days attendees, which was followed by a genotyping presentation by Marion Koerper, MD, NHF’s medical advisor, on Thursday, March 8, 2012, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. Some of the advantages of genotyping mentioned in the presentation include: predicting which patients will develop inhibitors, antibodies to infused factor protein; screening the most suitable candidates for clinical trials; tailoring drugs to specific mutations; and determining carrier status in women so they can receive prenatal counseling and special care during labor and delivery if they are expecting a child with a bleeding disorder.
NHF wishes to thank Novo Nordisk for providing an educational grant for the 2012 Washington Days event.