Caring for patients with SCD is complex due to many factors, including the unpredictable course of the disease. Treatment decisions need to balance the morbidity and mortality that increases into adulthood with the potential risks and benefits of each treatment option. Additionally, barriers in access to care can affect quality of life for these patients throughout their disease course.

This didactic session brings together critical perspectives to address these needs. Attendees will learn in-depth data on the latest treatment outcomes, upcoming clinical trials and new insights into shared decision-making between providers and patients.

Speakers include pediatric and adult hematologists, a clinical psychologist, and a young adult who chose hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) to treat SCD, who will provide insight on how she and her family made this decision.

The session will delve into what is known and not known about patient factors that weigh into the selection of therapeutic options, the potential for gene therapy and how information gained from clinical trials can influence treatment decisions.