The National Hemophilia Foundation’s (NHF) Medical and Scientific Advisory Council (MASAC) issued the following new documents, which were adopted by NHF’s Board of Directors in May 2011:
MASAC Document #202 encompasses the council’s current series of treatment recommendations, including updates on new products such as Corifact™, a plasma-derived factor XIII (FXIII) therapy for the routine prophylactic treatment of congenital FXIII deficiency. This rare disorder, which affects approximately 150 people in the U.S., can cause mild to severe bleeding symptoms. Corifact™ was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2011. View and download MASAC Recommendations Concerning Products Licensed for the Treatment of Hemophilia and Other Bleeding Disorders.
In MASAC Document #203, the council recommends that as new drugs to treat hepatitis C (HCV) become available, that patients with hemophilia and other bleeding disorders who opt to receive them, particularly those already on anti-HIV treatment, undergo close monitoring. Providers and their patients are encouraged to take into account possible safety considerations, including risk of bleeding, drug interactions and drug resistance, when weighing these new HCV drug options. View and download MASAC Recommendations for Treatment of Chronic HCV Infection in Individuals with Hemophilia and Other Rare Bleeding Disorders.
MASAC Document #204, in recognizing the importance of physical therapy in the lives of individuals with bleeding disorders, MASAC approved the adoption of new guidelines developed by NHF’s Physical Therapy Working Group (PTWG). The PTWG has created in-depth guidelines that a physical therapist may consult when encountering specific types of bleeds, such as those in the muscles and joints. The documents also states that these standardized guidelines can be used by physical therapists treating patients in either an inpatient or outpatient setting, within a hemophilia treatment center or at an institution outside the HTC network. MASAC recommends consultation with an HTC for non-HTC PTs. View and download MASAC Recommendations Regarding Physical Therapy Guidelines in Patients with Bleeding Disorders.
