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Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDThe Lancet regional health. Southeast Asia

Thalassaemia prevention in Asia: progress, challenges, and future directions.

  • Michael Angastiniotis1
  • Suthat Fucharoen2
  • Kittiphong Paiboonsukwong3
  • Ha Thanh Nguyen4
  • Thi Thu Ha Nguyen5
  • Hai Yang Law6
  • Pustika Amalia Wahidiyat7
  • Sourideth Sengchanh8
  • Norehan Johari9
  • Chean Sophâl10
  • Maria Liza T Naranjo11
  • Nita Radhakrishnan12
2 more authors
  • Khaled M Musallam13,14,15
  • Androulla Eleftheriou1
15 affiliations
  1. 1Thalassaemia International Federation, Nicosia, Cyprus.
  2. 2Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University and Samitvej Srinakarin Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
  3. 3Thalassemia Research Center, Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand.
  4. 4National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion and Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
  5. 5Thalassemia Centre, National Institute of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Hanoi, Viet Nam.
  6. 6National Thalassemia Registry, Department of Genomic Medicine, KK Women's and Children's Hospital, Singapore.
  7. 7Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Child Health, Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Jakarta, Indonesia.
  8. 8Department of Paediatrics, University of Health Sciences, Vientiane, Laos.
  9. 9Department of Pediatrics, Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam.
  10. 10Department of Pediatric Hematology - Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, National Pediatric Hospital, University of Health Sciences, Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
  11. 11Thalassemia Action Network, Philippine Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Blood and Cancer Care Center, National Children's Hospital, Manila, Philippines.
  12. 12Department of Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Post Graduate Institute of Child Health (PGICH), Delhi NCR, Noida, India.
  13. 13Center for Research on Rare Blood Disorders (CR-RBD) and Thalassemia & Sickle Cell Center, Burjeel Cancer Institute, Burjeel Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
  14. 14Department of Public Health & Epidemiology, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
  15. 15Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
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Abstract

Thalassaemia remains a major public health burden in Asia, where high carrier frequencies, diverse mutation spectra, and variable healthcare capacity continue to influence disease prevention and control. This Series paper summarises the status of thalassaemia prevention programmes across 14 Asian countries and highlights the key challenges and opportunities affecting their implementation. Singapore, Malaysia, the Maldives, and Thailand have established the most structured prevention strategies, incorporating combinations of public awareness, carrier screening, genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis, with measurable success most clearly demonstrated in Singapore and, to a specific extent, Thailand. In contrast, many other countries in the region continue to face fragmented services, limited national coordination, shortages of trained personnel, inadequate epidemiological data, and financial, technological, cultural, and social barriers. Differences in prevention efforts broadly reflect wider disparities in health system development. Strengthening national prevention programmes should be viewed as both a public health priority and a cost-effective investment in reducing long-term disease burden.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{angastiniotis2026thalassaemia,
  title = {{Thalassaemia prevention in Asia: progress, challenges, and future directions.}},
  author = {Michael Angastiniotis and Suthat Fucharoen and Kittiphong Paiboonsukwong and Ha Thanh Nguyen and Thi Thu Ha Nguyen and Hai Yang Law and Pustika Amalia Wahidiyat and Sourideth Sengchanh and Norehan Johari and Chean Sophâl and Maria Liza T Naranjo and Nita Radhakrishnan and Khaled M Musallam and Androulla Eleftheriou},
  journal = {The Lancet regional health. Southeast Asia},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1016/j.lansea.2026.100810},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903198},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Thalassaemia prevention in Asia: progress, challenges, and future directions.
AU  - Michael Angastiniotis
AU  - Suthat Fucharoen
AU  - Kittiphong Paiboonsukwong
AU  - Ha Thanh Nguyen
AU  - Thi Thu Ha Nguyen
AU  - Hai Yang Law
AU  - Pustika Amalia Wahidiyat
AU  - Sourideth Sengchanh
AU  - Norehan Johari
AU  - Chean Sophâl
AU  - Maria Liza T Naranjo
AU  - Nita Radhakrishnan
AU  - Khaled M Musallam
AU  - Androulla Eleftheriou
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
JO  - The Lancet regional health. Southeast Asia
DO  - 10.1016/j.lansea.2026.100810
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42903198
AB  - Thalassaemia remains a major public health burden in Asia, where high carrier frequencies, diverse mutation spectra, and variable healthcare capacity continue to influence disease prevention and control. This Series paper summarises the status of thalassaemia prevention programmes across 14 Asian countries and highlights the key challenges and opportunities affecting their implementation. Singapore, Malaysia, the Maldives, and Thailand have established the most structured prevention strategies, incorporating combinations of public awareness, carrier screening, genetic counselling, and prenatal diagnosis, with measurable success most clearly demonstrated in Singapore and, to a specific extent, Thailand. In contrast, many other countries in the region continue to face fragmented services, limited national coordination, shortages of trained personnel, inadequate epidemiological data, and financial, technological, cultural, and social barriers. Differences in prevention efforts broadly reflect wider disparities in health system development. Strengthening national prevention programmes should be viewed as both a public health priority and a cost-effective investment in reducing long-term disease burden.
SN  - 2772-3682
ER  -