A Look Back With a Focus on the Future

President Dwight D. Eisenhower once said, “Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen.” With this week’sABCNewsletter covering the priority topics faced by the blood community in 2016, we are reminded of the tremendous work that has been accomplished this year. Perhaps even more important, however, should be the future of our industry and how our last year motivates each of us to face the compounding challenges in 2017 and beyond. 

The last three months have been some of the most important in recent memory for the advocacy on behalf of blood centers. Between issuance of FDA’s Zika guidance, the release of the RAND report and subsequent meetings to discuss the future of blood collection and reimbursement, BPAC discussions and the national elections, much work has been done and even more remains. 

With the ABC Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in March 2017 (registration is now open!),you have the chance to make a real difference on these and other issues at the biennial ABC Advocacy Day on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. During this event, we encourage blood center executives to meet with key legislators who represent your collection facilities and to advocate on behalf of an ABC Advocacy agenda that will feature efforts to promote the value of blood. 

It is easy for you to have an impact with your legislators. ABC will assist in scheduling of your visits, provide all the advocacy collateral you need, and conduct full briefings that morning on what to expect during your meetings. 

The idiom tells us the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Effective advocacy for our industry requires a consistent effort from each and every blood center to bring a voice to the work you do. Blood centers and the patients you serve cannot afford complacency during such turbulent times. We must be proactive in facing the challenges of the next year and each do our part in securing policies that enable a safe and sustainable blood supply. Please join us in being a squeaky wheel, register for the ABC Advocacy Day today.  

Katherine Fry; Chief Administrative Officer