At the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT), held in Valencia, Spain, John Murray, a Nurse Clinician at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK, discusses how to manage anxiety and fear in patients undergoing the bone marrow biopsy procedure. A detailed discussion helps patients understand the process and relax, despite uncomfort or pain. In some cases Entonox gas or intravenous midazolam can be used to reduce anxiety levels.