Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a commonly inherited disorder that disproportionately affects the Black American population. A cure would have a significant impact on the financial burden Black Americans with SCD face.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common inherited blood disorders, affecting Black populations (1/365 births) more than any other groups. However, the economic impact of SCD on Black Americans is still unknown. In a recent report in the American Journal of Hematology, researchers used a cohort-based microsimulation model to try to find an answer.
The researchers determined that if a cure were given to the Black American population with SCD, their median annual income would rise from $25,442 to $38,618, compared to $45,438 for the general Black American population. The proportion of Black Americans with SCD earning less than the federal poverty line (FPL) would fall from 28.6% to 23.4%. This reflects a significant reduction (20%) in earnings disparities between people with SCD and matched controls.
The long-term effects of a cure for SCD are even more pronounced. After treatment, the projected net present value (NPV) of lifetime earnings of Black Americans with SCD woud increase by $341,929 (from $660,266 to $1,002,195, compared to $1,179,172 for the general Black American population). The undiscounted lifetime earnings would increase by $1,269,413 (from $661,507 to $1,930,920, compared to $2,271,900 for the general Black American population).
This is the first study to use a model to assess the value of prompt treatment for broader social disparities in Black Americans with SCD. According to the authors, beyond traditional measures of efficacy and safety, the full value of a possible cure for SCD needs to consider things like how it might affect education and earnings, as well as how that might affect equities in care.
Source: Graf, M., Tuly, R., Gallagher, M., Sullivan, J., & Jena, A. B. (2022). Value of a cure for sickle cell disease in reducing economic disparities. Am J Hematol, 97(8), E289-e291. https://doi-org.proxy.ulib.uits.iu.edu/10.1002/ajh.26617
