SCD Patients Receiving Hydroxyurea in the U.S. Still Face Many Challenges

People with sickle cell disease (SCD) treated with hydroxyurea in the U.S. still face many challenges, including the financial burden posed by their healthcare expenses, low treatment adherence, and high treatment discontinuation rates, according to a study based on pharmacy claims data.

The study, “Treatment patterns and economic burden of sickle-cell disease patients prescribed hydroxyurea: a retrospective claims-based study,” was published in Health and Quality of Life Outcomes.

SCD is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the HBB gene, which provides instructions for making hemoglobin, a protein responsible for transporting oxygen in the blood.