Promoting venous thromboembolism awareness at the WHO amid the COVID-19 pandemic

ISTH appointed APCO to increase awareness of blood clots as a patient safety issue at the WHO and to establish a standardized approach to blood clot prevention. APCO helped ISTH to form a coalition of NGOs and UN member states to publish expert clinical guidance on blood clot prevention and the treatment of COVID-19 related blood clots. In January 2021, the WHO published a revised and comprehensive clinical guideline on treating COVID-19 related blood clots. Furthermore, the WHO recognized blood clots as a priority patient safety issue in a resolution tabled at the World Health Assembly.