Thalassaemia in Iran: Thalassaemia prevention and blood adequacy for thalassaemia treatment

Thalassaemia major is a hereditary disease mostly prevalent in the region called ‘thalassaemia belt’. Iran is one of the countries situated in thalassaemia belt. Four per cent of Iranian population is the carriers of beta‐thalassaemia gene. So far 18 783 major thalassaemics have been registered in Iran, and this number is the highest registered figure for thalassaemia among the world countries. The thalassaemia prevention program has started since 1995 in Iran that has led to a significant decrease in newborn cases so that the downward rate of new thalassaemia births was estimated to be 82·3% in 2009; this is a considerable success among developing Islamic countries. Iran enjoys a national blood network that ensures blood adequacy for thalassaemics. All blood donations are donated by voluntary blood donors, and the rate of blood donations by regular voluntary blood donors reached 54·07% in 2016. In recent years, through the care provided and measures taken the prevalence rate of HCV and HIV has declined the lowest level and it makes blood safety in Iran abreast of that in developed countries. Given the success of thalassaemia prevention program in Iran and blood adequacy for thalassaemics, Iran can act as the role model for the countries located on thalassaemia belt particularly in the Middle East and the North Africa.