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

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. 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. 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. 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.