World Thrombosis Day launches a new global theme to highlight full-body approach to blood clot prevention

New theme underscores the critical link between thrombosis and other conditions such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease. 

CHAPEL HILL, N.C., U.S.,  March 6, 2025 — World Thrombosis Day, a campaign of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), today announced the launch of its 2025-2026 global initiative, From Head to Toe, Take Control: Prevent Thrombosis, Protect Your Health.  

The new theme empowers individuals to take proactive steps in preventing thrombosis, commonly known as blood clots. It also emphasizes the impact of blood clots throughout the body and the connection to other major health conditions. Through education, resources and advocacy, the World Thrombosis Day campaign will collaborate in lockstep to support patients, healthcare professionals and policymakers in these efforts. 

Now in its 12th year, World Thrombosis Day remains a critical global initiative, uniting more than 7,000 partner organizations across 125 countries to raise awareness about thrombosis— a life-threatening condition that contributes to one in four deaths worldwide each year. Despite its serious risks, public awareness of its link to other major conditions remains low. Thrombosis includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in the deep veins, usually in the leg, and pulmonary embolism (PE), a potentially fatal clot that travels to the lungs. 

Observed annually on October 13, World Thrombosis Day shines a spotlight on the urgent need for education, prevention and early detection of blood clots. By engaging healthcare professionals, policymakers and the public, the campaign drives meaningful action to reduce the global burden of thrombosis and save lives. 

“In addition to promoting a full-body approach to thrombosis, this campaign highlights its strong connection to chronic non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease,” said Erich de Paula, M.D., chair of the World Thrombosis Day Steering Committee. “Preventing thrombosis not only lowers the risk of life-threatening blood clots, but it also supports overall health. Since many clots occur in patients already managing these conditions, integrating thrombosis prevention into chronic disease care delivers widespread benefits.” 

The multilingual campaign will offer educational resources in more than 20 languages, as well as collaborate with healthcare systems to promote comprehensive risk assessments.   

To learn more about the World Thrombosis Day campaign, visit www.worldthrombosisday.org. 

About the ISTH:
Founded in 1969, the ISTH is the leading international medical and scientific professional organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to thrombosis and hemostasis. The ISTH professional membership community includes more than 7,000 clinicians, researchers and educators working together to improve the lives of patients in more than 120 countries around the world. Among its highly-regarded activities and initiatives are education and standardization programs, research activities, meetings and congresses, peer-reviewed publications, expert committees and World Thrombosis Day on 13 October. Learn more