RedSeptember 2025 – Closing Press Conference
On Friday, September 26, 2025, the Belgian Hematology Society (BHS) hosted the closing press conference of the #RedSeptember campaign at UZ Brussel.
Event Overview
On Friday, September 26, 2025, the Belgian Hematology Society (BHS) hosted the closing press conference of the #RedSeptember campaign at UZ Brussel. The event was honored by the presence of Frank Vandenbroucke, Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Minister of Health.
About the Campaign
Throughout the month of September, #RedSeptember raised awareness about blood cancers and advocated for equitable access to care for all patients. Hope is real, and scientific progress is here. But without accessible medicines and qualified healthcare workers, these advances will remain meaningless.
Find out more info about the BHS awareness campaign and open letter sent to the Federal authorities via this link: https://www.bhs.be/en/news-ove...
Key Highlights
The Minister of Health listened directly to the testimonies of patients and healthcare professionals, emphasizing their crucial role in shaping political and societal reflections.
The BHS Board and patient representatives from NMP Belgique and MNP België underlined the shortages of medicines: 6.5% of essential drugs are currently unavailable in Belgium, affecting everything from antibiotics to chemotherapy
The BHS nurses stressed out the shortage of nursing staff specialised in hematology: Hematology patients require expert care, yet the profession is losing attractiveness, putting future quality of care at risk.
The Minister Vandenbroucke acknowledged that the profile of the hematology nurses must be addressed, for greater recognition, during the next social convention between the social partners (trade unionists of employers and employees).
To face medicine shortages, the Minister Vandenbroucke is pushing at the European level for a European plan to secure medicine supply among the member states.
The Minisiter Vandenbroucke shared that a new procedure called "Early and Equitable Fast Access to new medicines" will be effective on January 1, 2026, and has been designed to provide temporary reimbursement for promising new treatments before they receive formal marketing authorisation.
The event attracted significant media coverage (RTBF, La Dh, Vers l'Avernir...), highlighting the national importance of the campaign’s message.
Acknowledgments
We extend our sincere thanks to patients, nurses, hematologists, partners, and media representatives who contributed to amplifying this collective voice. Their involvement made #RedSeptember a powerful and hopeful mobilization.
Looking Ahead
The BHS remains committed to raising awareness, taking action, and supporting the hematology community in Belgium.
