Podcasts Government On The Record Gene therapies show promise for sickle cell disease

Gene therapies show promise for sickle cell disease

Published: June 14, 2024, 2:12 p.m.

June 19th is World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. This painful rare disease affects an estimated 100,000 people in the United States. It\u2019s more prevalent among people of African ancestry. About 1 in 13 Black or African American babies are born with sickle cell trait, which could be passed to their children.\xa0

What promise do new cell-based\xa0gene therapies hold?

We speak with Cimone Vaughan, a 12-year-old living with sickle cell disease, and her mother, Nikia Vaughan, executive director of the Maryland Sickle Cell Disease Association.

Then, Dr. Jason Fixler, a doctor of pediatric hematology oncology at Lifebridge Health breaks down misconceptions about the disease.\xa0

Links:
CDC Sickle Cell Disease
Sickle Cell Improvement in the Northeast Region through education project
FDA approves two sickle cell therapies, including first CRISPR medicine
Baltimore is a city heavily impacted by Sickle Cell Disease as awareness day approaches

Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers mharvie@wypr.org 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers mgerr@wypr.org 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his sbdawes@wypr.org 410-235-1472