Lou Portero

Urban Health Today

According to a recent open-label, international, multicenter study published in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772368225000423?utm_source=sickle-cell-disease.healthspotlight.io&amp;utm_medium=Weekly_Newsletter&amp;utm_campaign=Heme_NIAB_Campaign">The Lancet Southeast Asia</a>,&nbsp;researchers in Nepal and Canada identified simple, affordable tests capable of accurately diagnosing sickle cell disease (SCD) and &beta;-thalassemia. While the study occurred primarily in low-resource settings abroad, its findings could have profound implications for underserved communities across the United States.Sickle cell disease disproportionately affects communities of color in the US, particularly African Americans and some Hispanic groups, with thousands of new cases each year. Early and accurate screening is crucial for ensuring equitable access to treatment, including pain management, infection prevention, and potential disease-modifying therapies such as hydroxyurea. The study focused on portable, cost-effective diagnostics like HemoTypeSC, Sickle SCAN, Gazelle, and an automated sickling test&mdash;each shown to detect severe cases of SCD with over 96% accuracy. Notably, both the Gazelle and the automated sickling test also identified &beta;-thalassemia traits, which often go undetected but can carry significant genetic risks.For US clinicians, these innovations address two critical areas: cost containment and healthcare disparities. Traditional methods like high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can run upwards of $10&ndash;$30 per test and require sophisticated laboratory equipment, putting them out of reach for many smaller clinics or community health centers. In contrast, these point-of-care options cost as little as $1&ndash;$5 per test and do not necessarily require extensive infrastructure or electricity, making them especially valuable for mobile clinics and rural regions of the country.While further validation in US settings is warranted, the implications are clear: cutting-edge but low-cost tools may be one key to reducing gaps in detection and care. By enabling accurate, rapid screening in resource-limited environments, these new techniques offer renewed hope for earlier diagnosis and better long-term outcomes for all Americans at risk of SCD and &beta;-thalassemia.As healthcare costs rise and disparities persist, adopting low-cost, portable diagnostics could be a transformative step toward more equitable care in the United States.

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Low-Cost Screening Tools for Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Show Promise for US Communities

Sickle Cell Disease

These point-of-care options cost as little as $1–$5 per test and do not necessarily require extensive infrastructure or electricity.

Low-Cost Screening Tools for Sickle Cell and Thalassemia Show Promise for U.S. Communities

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