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4th Biennial IPFA/EBA Symposium on Plasma Collection and Supply

The International Plasma and Fractionation Association IPFA and the European Blood Alliance EBA are happy to announce that our:

4th biennial joint Symposium on Plasma Collection and Supply will be held in the University Hall of Leuven, Belgium on 11-12 February 2026.

A broad-ranging Symposium programme examines the entire plasma chain, looking at existing best practices in 2026 while considering the future.

  • What and where does the public sector and its blood establishments look at in 2026 to strengthen the collection and supply of plasma?
  • Who will fractionate the publicly collected plasma and how? Discussions and analysis on capacities in Europe, technology advancements, contract fractionation, and tender processes.
  • The aim is ensuring patients access to plasma medicines. Different national market access mechanisms for the products need to be in place in addition to the plasma supply. What is important for public plasma collectors to know about these to help build their strategies?
  • European self-sufficiency is mentioned eight times in the SoHO Regulation – what does it mean for the public sector and plasma?
  • What role will the public sector in Europe play in the collection of source plasma for Hyperimmunoglobulins (anti D, tetanus etc)

In addition, we invite sponsors to take part in the event and share insight into their developments and how they can contribute to the plasma environment.

This symposium will be of interest to everyone active in the plasma chain. We look forward to welcoming attendants to the beautiful city of Leuven, a short distance from the Brussels airport and easily reachable by train and other transportation.

More information about the programme will be announced shortly.

We warmly invite you to attend this meeting and look forward to welcoming you to this important event.

Leni von Bonsdorff                                                      Peter O´Leary
Executive Director, IPFA                                           Executive Director, EBA

Organised and Supported by:

Event partner(s):

Abbott Diagnostics sponsor IPFA Events, the International Plasma and Fractionation Association

Registration

The registration fee includes full attendance to the Symposium, coffee breaks and lunch on both days and access to the on-line proceedings after the event.
Participants from low-income economies or lower-middle-income economies can benefit from a discounted registration fee. You can find the list of eligible countries on the website of the World Bank here

 

 

Hotel accommodation

For hotel bookings, we advise you to use an online booking system for finding a hotel in Leuven.

Registration Fees Early fee
Until 4 December 		 Regular fee
5 December – 29 January		 Late fee
From 30 January
IPFA & EBA Members € 420 € 525 € 575
Non-members € 525 € 575 € 625
Students € 165 € 215 € 265
Low/Lower-Middle Income Countries € 235 € 285 € 335
Symposium Dinner 11 February € 85 € 85 € 85

All deadlines mentioned end at 23:59 hours, CET. You can read our Terms and Conditions here.

Corporate Partners

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to be one of the corporate sponsors for this event!

As a corporate sponsor, you can be assured that our fully on-site event offers excellent networking opportunities with recognised international experts. We expect about 200 delegates from the European and international scientific community, blood transfusion services, regulatory agencies, plasma fractionators and manufacturers and distributors of plasmapheresis related devices. The structure of the meeting will allow time for discussion and interaction with all interested participants, including your own experts, should they wish to attend.

In addition, the meeting size and informal atmosphere at a venue dedicated fully for this symposium, facilitates dialogue with guest speakers and other delegates both in the meeting forum and during breaks and social events.

There are a number of sponsorship categories, to profile and represent your company. We hope that you will consider these options and inform us on your intention. Should you have any questions regarding these arrangements, or any other suggestions, please do not hesitate to contact us at Symposium@ipfa-events.nl


The IPFA/EBA Symposium is assessed being compliant by the CVS/e4ethics.

Thank you to our sponsors

Abbott

Fresenius Kabi

Haemonetics

MAK-SYSTEM

Scinomed Ltd

Thermo Fisher

STRADIS-MED

 

Event partner(s):

Abbott Diagnostics sponsor IPFA Events, the International Plasma and Fractionation Association

Programme / Proceedings

Wednesday 11 February

09:00 - 10:15 Session 1: Welcome + host country presentations
Leni von Bonsdorff, IPFA & Pierre Tiberghien, EBA
10:15 - 10:45 Coffee Break
10:45 - 12:00 Session 2: Setting the scene in Europe
Françoise Rossi, IPFA
12:10 - 13:30 Lunch Break
13:30 - 15:00 Session 3: National plasma strategies in Europe
The session will provide short pitches from several countries focusing on their specific development areas, strategic goals or success in plasma collection. The pitches will be followed by a panel discussion.
Gerry Gogarty & Lisa Adams, United Kingdom
15:00 - 15:30 Coffee Break
15:30 - 17:00 Session 4: Fractionation of publicly collected plasma
Leni von Bonsdorff, IPFA
18:30 - 22:00 Symposium Dinner (offsite)
Join us for an exceptional dinner at the Faculty Club. Located at the breathtaking setting of the restored buildings of Leuven's UNESCO-protected Grand Beguinage.
Fee to join: € 85 (tickets to be purchased during the registration process).

Thursday 12 February

09:00 - 10:00 Session 5: Manufacturer's session
Françoise Rossi, IPFA
  • 09:00 - 09:15 Haemonetics - Innovation in Plasma Technology: The NexSys PCS® Advantage, Alexander Steffan, Vice President, Global Marketing and Strategy
  • 09:15 - 09:30 Scinomed - Seven years of safe plasma collection and innovation, Dr. med. Stephan Walsemann, Chief Medical Officer
  • 09:30 - 09:45 Thermo Fisher - Affinity purification as a platform for improved plasma-derived IgG manufacturing, Frank Detmers, Director of Applications, Purification
  • 09:45 - 10:00 Abbott - Discovering a scientific breakthrough designed to redefine donor screening, Ramune Sepetiene, M.D., Director Medical & Scientific Affairs
10:00 - 11:00 Session 6: Public Plasma Collection - Specific Topics
Katja van den Hurk, the Netherlands
11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break
11:30 - 12:30 Session 7: Can we improve access to essential and critical hyperimmunoglobulins?
Johanna Castrén, Finland
12:30 - 13:15 Session 8: Life after SUPPLY, preparedness in an unpredictable world - Panel discussion
Peter O'Leary, EBA
  • 12:30 - 12:40 Introduction - Jenny White, Executive Director ISBT
  • 12:40 - 13:15 Panel Discussion - Oksana Muliarchuk (Ukraine), Matthew Hotchko (Spain), Richard Forde (EDQM) and Stefaan van der Spiegel (European Commission)
13:15 - 14:30 Closing words
  • Followed by farewell lunch

Contact

The Symposium will be hosted at the KU University Hall of Leuven, Belgium. The renowned University Hall is a symbol of academic excellence and innovation. Originally constructed as a cloth hall in 1317, it gradually became a central hub for the university since its founding in 1425. Today, it houses the Museum Hall, student administration, and Rectoral Salons, and accommodates the Rectorate. The hall’s rich history, including its role as a library and its reconstruction post-war, adds to its significance.

Accessibility for persons with reduced mobility
All the conference facilities are fully wheelchair accessible, showcasing KU Leuven’s dedication to inclusivity.

KU Leuven University Hall
Naamsestraat 22
3000 Leuven
Belgium

From Brussels airport it will only take you 15 minutes by train to get to Leuven Central Station. From there, it is a 15 minute walk to the University Hall located in the historical centre of Leuven.

Fore more information or any questions on the Symposium, please send an email to: symposium@ipfa-events.nl

Oude Markt Leuven (2025) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Reviews)

Travel to Leuven ✈️🚆

Leuven is centrally located in Europe and the vicinity of Brussels International airport.

From the airport, it will only take you 15 minutes by train to get to Leuven. The train runs twice an hour from the airport. Find out more here on how to reach Leuven.

 

Leuven is a safe city

  • Leuven is a small-sized city, all locations are within walking distance.
  • One of the most sustainable and healthy cities in Europe with traffic-free zones and outstanding cycling infrastructure.
  • An extensive bus network provides extra mobility within the city boundaries of Leuven.
  • The central square is just a short walk away from the train station.