Andrea Lobo, PhD, science writer —

Having male adolescents with sickle cell disease (SCD) undergo fertility testing by semen analysis may not be feasible if it involves travel to a reproductive diagnostic center, according to a recent study. Despite having access to reproductive health education and compensation to cover transportation costs, only 15% of adolescents…

Novartis is recalling its sickle cell disease (SCD) treatment Adakveo (crizanlizumab) in the U.K., after the nation’s drug regulatory agency revoked the conditional approval it had previously granted to the antibody-based therapy. The U.K. Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) made its decision based on Adakveo’s failure…

Heavier menstrual bleeding and pain during menstrual periods appear to be prevalent among adolescents and young women with sickle cell disease (SCD), affecting their quality of life, but few of these patients use hormonal therapies to help regulate their cycles, a single-site U.S. survey study reported. Knowledge of what…

Skin grafts can ease pain associated with leg ulcers and improve wound healing in people with sickle cell disease (SCD), according to a study in France. The procedure consists of the surgical collection of a piece of healthy skin on the body that is then transplanted to the injured…

A portrait of 4-year-old Kynnedi Sturges, who is living with sickle cell disease (SCD) in Camden, Arkansas, was unveiled last week in an international art exhibit by the nonprofit Beyond the Diagnosis. Displaying artworks of 40 children with rare diseases, the exhibit is being hosted by…

The Georgia State University Research Foundation has received a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support the ongoing Sickle Cell Data Collection (SCDC) program in that state. Established by the CDC in 2015, the program seeks to assess the frequency of…

Corticosteroids taken during pregnancy are a risk factor for more severe vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) in women with sickle cell disease (SCD), according to a study in France. Particularly, this risk was higher in women with a more severe SCD type and evidence of more severe disease. Newborns exposed…

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared for use Trinity Biotech’s Premier Resolution System, an automated analyzer that can quickly and accurately detect and quantify hemoglobin variants. Hemoglobin is the protein that red blood cells use to carry oxygen through the bloodstream. Several hemoglobin variants identified…

Sickle Cell 101 is teaming up this summer with Cleveland Browns player Donovan Peoples-Jones — known to fans as DPJ — and his Limitless Foundation Football Camp to raise awareness about sickle cell trait and hydration, both key issues for people living with disorders like sickle cell disease…

The Oman Ministry of Health has approved Endari (oral L-glutamine) for children, ages 5 and older, and adults with sickle cell disease (SCD), its developer Emmaus Life Sciences has announced. The disease affects around 3,000 people in Oman, with about 6% of the population estimated to carry…