HAEi’s Executive Chairman of the Board, Anthony J. Castaldo, and HAEi’s CEO, Henrik Balle Boysen

Dear HAEi Friends,

Welcome to this edition of Global Perspectives, HAEi’s flagship magazine, with news and insight from across our worldwide Member Organization network. It reaches you just after hae day :-) on May 16, and gathers the highlights of a busy and productive start to 2026.

We would like to take a moment to recognize István Nagy, one of our founding board members from Hungary, for his lifelong dedication to the HAE community. István was instrumental in the founding of HAE International, served as an active board member for many years, and helped shape the global HAE movement we know today. Closer to home, he has long served as President of the Hungarian HAE organization, Magyarországi Angio-Ödémás Betegek Egyesülete, advocating for people with HAE in Hungary. As István steps into a well-deserved retirement from this role, we celebrate his contributions and wish him all the best.

Much of this issue is devoted to the 2026 Global Angioedema Leadership Conference in Madrid. Eight hundred advocates, including around 250 clinicians and researchers, gathered under the theme “Make a Difference.” The pages that follow provide highlights of what transpired in both the Member Organization leadership and scientific tracks.

The HAEi family keeps growing. HAE Sri Lanka brings the network to 106 member countries, with Vietnam, Trinidad and Tobago, Niger, and Namibia among the newest members. Treatment options have expanded as well. The approval of three new HAE treatments in 2025 brings the total to 11, an unprecedented number for a rare condition. In addition, there are now more than 115 accredited ACARE angioedema centers across 47 countries.

Behind these milestones are tools that put people with HAE in control of their own care. You will find the redesigned HAE Companion 2.0, now with a dedicated hae day :-) section, alongside HAE TrackR, the free diary that turns a vague conversation with a physician into one that is both practical and evidence-based. Several articles describe Member Organizations’ success stories, such as Panama establishing a national treatment guideline and the availability of prophylaxis in Albania.

The 2026 class of the HAEi LEAP program (Learn, Experience, Advocate, and Pave the way) met in Copenhagen this spring. Our behind-the-scenes feature captures what goes into training this next generation of advocates. You will also find information about the HAEi research programs that supply the hard evidence advocacy depends on.

This issue marks a change in how we sign this message. As part of HAEi’s longstanding succession plan, Henrik now takes on the role of Chief Executive Officer, with Tony serving as Executive Chairman of the Board. Our close working relationship over the past two decades will continue, making this a natural step. Henrik will be responsible for HAEi’s day-to-day operations, while Tony will focus on the organization’s strategic direction and key external relationships. HAEi’s work continues apace, and so does the pleasure of doing it alongside all of you.

We wish you all happy reading.

Warmest regards,

Anthony J. Castaldo

Executive Chairman of the Board, HAE International (HAEi)

Henrik Balle Boysen

Chief Executive Officer, HAE International (HAEi)