Ep. 45: Breakthroughs in Sickle Cell Disease

You've probably heard the news: an FDA-approved treatment for sickle cell disease applying the gene-editing tool CRISPR is now available in the U.S. It's a landmark moment in medical science on two fronts: the treatment - called Casgevey - is the first FDA-approved regimen to utilize CRISPR technology to treat any genetic disease. And it's a huge leap forward in the treatment of sickle cell, a genetic disease affecting about 100,000 people in the U.S. - mostly African Americans. Today, we'll delve into what this means for patients, learn more about the process they must undergo to receive a genetic sickle cell treatment, the little-known side effect of that process that affects their fertility - and how their fertility can be preserved. Guests: Manisha Bansal, MD , Hematology/Oncology, Nemours Children's Health, Jacksonville Vrunda Patel, MD , Pediatric & Adolescent Gynecology, Nemours Children's Hospital, Delaware Danielle Morley, BSN, RN, CPHON, Program Manager, Andrew McDonough B+ Fertility Preservation Program Fredrianna Copeland Webster , advocate and sickle cell disease patient, Nemours Children’s Health, Jacksonville Carol Vassar, host/producer For more information on sickle cell disease and to hear more of Fredianna's story, be sure to check out Episode 34 of the Well Beyond Medicine podcast. Click here to see Fredriana's billboard for Florida State College at Jacksonville. Views expressed by guests do not necessarily reflect the views of the host or management. Subscribe, review or let your voice be heard at NemoursWellBeyond.org .