The Financial and Social Impact of Thalassemia and Its Treatment in Iran

A B S T R A C T Background: Health care funders are struggling to meet the rising costs of medical treatments. Thalassemia is a costly disease. We aimed to examine the economic burden of thalassemia treatment in Iran. Methods: All thalassemic patients, registered at two hematology clinics of Tabriz in 2009 were invited to the study. Those who consented (100 patients) completed a simple questionnaire. Results: The total cost of treating thalassemia was €1,730.52 per patient/year. Total annual direct cost was €146,621.49 and indirect cost was €26430.22 for 100 patients. Blood transfusion and nursing charges were the most costly expenditures. It is estimated that up to €26 million/year is spent for treatment of all registered thalassemic patients in Iran. Conclusion: This study showed that a large amount of money is paid for thalassemia treatment by the government and patients. When the income of an average Iranian is considered, the magnitude of problem emerges.