The Latest in ASTCT Advocacy: February 2026
Congress Makes Progress on FY 2026 Funding; Turns Attention to Mid-Term Elections
To help raise awareness of transplant and cell therapies, ASTCT invited Utah policymakers to a Tandem luncheon to learn more about ASTCT and what our members do every day to save lives. The event highlighted the work that ASTCT members in Utah do to enable excellent care to Utahans and so many who travel to Utah from surrounding states.
Attendees included representatives from Utah Governor Spencer Cox’s office, Congressman Burgess Owen’s office, Huntsman Cancer Center, Intermountain Health/ Primary Children’s Hospital, and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services. Speakers included Drs. David Porter (Immediate Past President), Steve Devine (NMDP), Ellen Fraint (GR Committee Chair), Clark Alsfeld (GR Committee Vice Chair), and Margy MacMillan (ASTCT President).
Read more to see FY2026 funding highlights.
ASTCT Participates in NMDP’s 2026 Hill Day to Support the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program
This week, ASTCT joined NMDP on Capitol Hill to support H.R. 5160, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act, which would reauthorize the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program. Over 50 advocates from across the country convened in Washington, D.C. to raise awareness of how this program enables over 8,000 blood stem cell and marrow transplants each year.
Authorization for the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program expires at the end of September 2026. ASTCT will continue to advocate for H.R. 5160’s passage so the program can run seamlessly, as well as continue to contribute to breakthrough achievements in this space, for another five years.
Access Tandem 2026 Advocacy Session Recordings
Couldn’t make it to the 2026 Tandem Meetings or want to revisit a few advocacy-related sessions? Here’s a quick list of sessions that provide an overview and insight into current advocacy events and ASTCT’s 2026 advocacy initiatives:
- February 5 — Meaningful Advocacy When it Matters Most
- February 6 — An Overview of ASTCT Government and Payer Relations in 2026
- February 6 — Medicare Updates: SCT, CAR-T and Other Cell and Gene Therapy Updates
- February 7 — Tele-What? Understanding Medicare’s Telemedicine and Remote Patient Monitoring Codes – and How to Bill for Them
- February 8 — From Approval to Access: Collaborating with Payers on Coverage Policy
- February 8 — Endpoints and FDA Strategies for BMT and Cell Therapy Clinical Trial
ASTCT will also be releasing a session‑recording package in the coming weeks. The package will be available for anyone to purchase, offering access to all recorded sessions so you can revisit key discussions at your convenience.