Emily Riehm Meier

CDC layoffs hurt Indiana residents with sickle cell disease | Letters Emily Riehm Meier, Amanda Okolo, Isaac Janson, Seethal A. Jacob, Andrew O’Brien, Brandon Hardesty and Rakesh Mehta The layoffs of federal health workers this month included elimination of the Center for Disease Control's Division of Blood Disorders. The loss of public health experts with decades of experience causes us great concern.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects 70,000-100,000 Americans and millions worldwide. It is characterized by lifelong complications such as severe pain episodes, chronic anemia, stroke, organ damage and shortened life expectancy. The Food and Drug Administration has approved therapies for use in children with SCD, and all pediatric health care professionals should be aware of their availability and requirements for safe use.