The little-known disease that drains a third of southeast Asia’s blood supplies

Although thalassemia can cut short life expectancy, with regular blood transfusions – combined with iron-chelating drugs, which prevent an iron overload from these transfusions – many patients live long lives, with several of Dr Kittiphong’s patients in their late 70s.

Thalassemia can be cured through a stem cell transplant. But although many Thai hospitals can perform this procedure, it is only offered for severe cases of beta-thalassemia, and even then rarely, because of the risks involved – Dr…