Sickle Cell and Thalassemia is a genetically inherited blood disorder, which has a high incidence among certain minority ethnic groups, in particular, West Africans (1 in 4 people), African-Caribbean's (1 in 10), Greeks (1 in 10) and Asians (1 in 50).
Despite the extent of the disease, the NHS Prescriptions Authority does not deem the condition eligible for free prescriptions. As a result, sufferers - often young adults who cannot afford the cost of prescriptions - struggle to get treatment. Our joint research with St Thomas' Hospital into patients admitted to Accident and Emergency Services has revealed a high percentage of young people going untreated due to their inability to purchase medication. In order to address this problem and alleviate unnecessary suffering, the Foundation is currently campaigning for the NHS Prescriptions Authority to approve free prescriptions for Sickle Cell and Thalassemia sufferers. In addition, we have provided a grant to St Thomas' Hospital consultants to enable them to issue free prescriptions to young people affected by this disorder.
