Could gene therapy be a gamechanger in the fight against sickle-cell anemia? | DW News

There might be fresh hope for millions of people affected by Sickle Cell Disease. In the US, a new commercially licensed gene therapy has been administered for the first time to a patient.
It could be a gamechanger in the fight against this disorder of unusually-shaped red blood cells that can disrupt the victims’ blood flow. This leads to severe health complications including chronic pain and organ damage, which can also be life threatening.
The genetic condition is found around the world but mainly among people with West or Central African backgrounds. According to the World Health Organization 1,000 children are born with the disease every day in Africa. And the existing treatments can be rare and expensive.

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#SickleCellAnemia #GeneTherapy #Africa

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