THALASSAEMIA - WATCH OUT FOR SIDE EFFECTS IN TREATMENT - HINDU 17.01.13

Thalassaemia, an inherited disease renders patients unable to produce enough blood the body needed. Therefore, the patients need life-long blood transfusion periodically. Along with the heavy financial burden, it also involves the hazard of iron is the transfused blood accumulating in vital organs such as least and liver, causing damage to these. But recent developments an offering a solution. Iron chelathon drugs can be taken orally by dissolving them in water. The only permanent cure for thalassaimea was a stem cell transplant from relatives. Even then the rejection rates did cause some concern, said Dr.Revathi Raj. She said that major hospitals and blood banks could adopt children with thalassaemia and create a pool of donors. She also recalled that the Tamil Nadu government had passed an order mandating that blood transfusions for these patients must be  done free of charge.