JACIE Activity Report 2024

JACIE continued to work towards its goal – to harmonise and continually improve quality control standards in cellular therapy in Europe and beyond. In this, JACIE has continued to make strides in increasing its reach and activity with a record number of inspections carried out in 2024. This is thanks to the nearly 300 inspectors and the committee members, who have given their time generously to the benefit of the Cellular Therapy community. 

There is still a lot to do. JACIE will continue the development of the 9^th Edition of HCT and the 3^rd Edition of IEC Standards in collaboration with the colleagues from FACT.  We also know that the advancements in cellular therapies and new technologies promise a dynamic future for JACIE as we strive to build a stronger, more inclusive community.

JACIE’s activity continued a strong post-covid performance. There were 99 applications in 2024, with 11% of the centres applying for initial accreditation and 9% applying for their 4^th re-accreditation. Although JACIE remains firmly embedded in the European Cellular Therapy community, there is an increasing interest in JACIE in Middle East and further afield accounting currently approximately 5% of the applications. 

JACIE carried out 91 inspections in 2024, which is the highest number of inspections in the history of JACIE (2023: 77 inspections). This is only possible thanks to the commitment of our inspectors; many of whom have carried out two or even three inspections in the course of the year. 

There was a slight increase in the number of centres accredited in 2024 with 72 Centres completing the process in 2024.  This reflects the collaborative efforts of the Accreditation Committee, which continued to meet fortnightly to review all the inspection reports, and the applicants responding in a timely manner to deficiencies identified during the inspections.

In 2024, three Inspector Training Courses took place in Barcelona, Cambridge and Stockholm with a total of 59 new inspectors trained. The training days are always highlights in the JACIE calendar and we would like to thank BSBMTCT JACIE Committee and the Nordic Transplant Group for their support for these training events. 

JACIE continued the grants programme to the inspectors to attend the 50th Annual Meeting of the EBMT in Glasgow, enabling valuable opportunities for learning and collaboration. A total of 72 grants were awarded to attend the meeting either in-person or virtually. Additionally, as part of JACIE’s commitment to enhance inspector incentives, the Per Diem for inspections was increased from €80/day to €120/day to ensure that the inspectors will not incur any expenses during the inspection visits. Lastly, the Inspector Committee (JIC) continued to lead Inspectors' Webinars providing regular updates both on the Standards and accreditation process to the inspectors. 

JIC is an important stakeholder committee representing the Inspectors, a key stakeholder group in the accreditation process. Following an open call for Expressions of Interest, the Inspector Committee welcomed new members as well as a new Chair as Ms Eugenia Trigoso stepped down as the Chair after two busy and successful years in the lead.

JACIE continued in 2024 the collaboration with FACT (Foundation for Accreditation in Cellular Therapy) to develop the 9^th edition of the HSC Standards and the 3^rd edition of the Immune Effector Cells (IEC) Standards. 

FACT-JACIE Steering Committee met in San Antonio, Texas, USA in February to review the drafts developed in the Sub-Committees for Clinical, Collection, Processing and Quality Management Standards. After further review by the sub-committees, the Standards were open for Public consultation the 3^rd quarter of 2024. The Sub-Committees  will review the comments received and the prepare the final version for publication in the course of 2025. 

JACIE is committed to supporting Centres interested in any of the stages of the accreditation process. This work is led by the Quality Managers Committee (QMC). The Committee welcomed new members in 2024 and also said a fond farewell to Mrs Renza Monteleone whose leadership has been vital in developing the Quality Management days in the EBMT Annual Meetings.   

Following the successful introduction of the E-learning programme for Centres end of 2023, JACIE introduced quarterly Drop-in Sessions for Centres. These sessions are designed for both Centres beginning their JACIE journey and those already in the process. They provide a valuable opportunity to connect directly with the JACIE team, gain insights, and have questions about the Accreditation process answered. 

Finally,  JACIE made a transition from paper certificates to digital certificates in 2024. These certificates are now provided in a safe, digital format and can also be verified online for added convenience and security. For Centres that prefer a physical copy, the digital certificates can be easily downloaded as high-resolution PDFs for printing. This shift not only streamlines processes but also aligns with our commitment to reducing environmental impact.