This year the HTaPFrance’s Annual General Assembly was held on the 10th of June via video conference, bringing together approximately 45 people.
he association operates thanks to two employees and of course volunteers who dedicated 1 093 hours of volunteer work in 2022. These volunteer hours are valued in the accounts and represent €12,339, or 0.7 full-time equivalent. HTaPFrance keeps track of volunteer hours, because this is a way of showing the value of the volunteers’ work, and of the association itself.Indeed, when sollicitates a potential supporter (industry but not only)for financial support, it proves that the association knows how to take care of itself and that it is capable of carrying out projects with its own resources, not only financial but also human.
On the other hand, volunteer hours are an asset in the accreditation file (national accreditation for user representation in hospital or public health bodies), as they prove that HTaPFrance does not depend solely on its sponsors, and even less so on pharmaceutical laboratories.
Following the statutory General Assembly, experts from the French national reference center for pulmonary hypertension delivered presentations of exceptional quality.
Professor Marc Humbert
Prof. Humbert coordinates the French reference center, and the French network for pulmonary hypertension (PulmoTension). He explained that:
For the first time, patient advocates (namely Pisana Ferrari and Gergely Meszaros) were involved in the drafting of the ERS/ESC guidelines.
The guidelines are not only used in Europe but also in other parts of the world, including the USA. They are continuously evolving and subject to discussion. In France, the guidelines are incorporated into a national diagnostic and treatment protocol (PNDS) since 2007.
HTaPFrance actively participates in its development, and a summary is provided for general practitioners.
Doctor Athénaïs Boucly
Dr. Boucly presented the new treatment algorithm for pulmonary arterial hypertension. She emphasized that general measures (diuretics, oxygen, etc.) allow for personalized patient care. It is important to consider the patient as a whole, as pulmonary arterial hypertension is not treated in isolation. Patients may have other conditions such as diabetes, obesity, or previous heart problems. All these parameters must be taken into account when managing a patient with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Professor Olivier Sitbon
Prof. Sitbon presented research directions and new treatments. A historical overview highlighted the progress made in the last 30 years. He specifically mentioned the promising potential of sotatercept. This treatment would be added to the existing therapies, resulting in a quadri-therapy approach for patients.
