Written by Cameron Mark, Health Reporter.
Thousands out of the 15,000 people in the UK who suffer with Sickle-cell are now able to benefit from ‘Crizanlizumab‘. This drug is the newest treatment in 2 decades which has been available in the UK and announced through the NHS.
Sickle-cell is a disease that is predominantly passed through the genetics of black ethnic backgrounds, which make up 85% of the sufferers. There are hopes by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to reduce health inequalities for black people.
The new treatment drug has shown results of reducing the Sickle-cell crisis by 1.6 times a year on average after a yearlong trial.
Painful episodes require hospital treatment. The drug will be injected into a vein and would be taken alongside blood transfusions or standard treatment. There are currently other methods available to help treat this disease such as Hydroxycarbamide and blood transfusions, which are not as effective. There is also a cure available which is quite costly and the person needs to be healthy enough in order to take it.
Officials have said within the next three years this drug should help reduce the crisis and help at least 5,000 people. However, the treatment will only be available for those over 16 years old.
Iyayi Omori, a 19 year old student at the University of Birmingham has suffered for most of his life with the sickle cell disease before recently taking the cure. In an interview, Iyayi spoke about the support from academic institutions as well as his experience with the disease.
More information available about Sickle Cell Disease.