Webinar Archives on Thalassemia Topics

Following are webinars on a variety of topics that focus on a collection of inherited blood disorders called the thalassemias. These webinars have been developed through funding through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Thalassemia Management: Balancing Blood and IronExternal

Janet L. Kwiatkowski, MD, MSCE
Director, Thalassemia Center of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania

In this webinar, Dr. Kwiatkowski provides an overview of current, recommended treatments for people with thalassemia, with an emphasis on transfusion-dependent thalassemia.  She discusses best practices in transfusion, as well as monitoring and treatment of iron overload.

Behavioral Strategies for Parents of Children with ThalassemiaExternal

Lauren Mednick, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Harvard Medical School, Boston Massachusetts

In this webinar, Dr. Mednick shares strategies that parents can use to help children with thalassemia effectively cope with medical treatments and procedures that may be necessary to maintain their health. This webinar was developed in collaboration with the Cooley’s Anemia FoundationExternal.

Two-part series: Thalassemia: Newborn Screening in the United States

This two-part webinar series is designed for medical professionals who are or may be responsible for screening, diagnosing, and treating hemoglobinopathies. The series was developed with expert guidance from the Hemoglobinopathy Laboratory Workgroup at the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL).External

Part 1: Alpha Thalassemia: Clinical AspectsExternal

Presenters: 

Tim Davis, Chair, BS
APHL Hemoglobinopathy Laboratory Workgroup, Microbiologist 3
Washington State Department of Health

Maria del Pilar Aguinaga, PhD, DLM (ASCP),
Co-Director, Sickle Cell Center
Meharry Medical College

A. Bender, MD,
Attending Physician, Seattle Children’s Hospital
Director of Odessa Brown Comprehensive Sickle Cell Clinic

Part 2: Alpha Thalassemia Newborn Screening in the United StatesExternal

Presenters:

Tim Davis, Chair, BS
APHL Hemoglobinopathy Laboratory Workgroup, Microbiologist 3,
Washington State Department of Health

Joseph Ubaike 
Supervising Microbiologist,
Newborn Screening Section, Connecticut Department of Health

Christine Dorley, MSP, MT (ASCP),
Newborn Screening  Division Manager,
Tennessee Department of Health Laboratory Services

The webinars provide information on the following:

• The clinical aspects of alpha thalassemia and other types of thalassemia
• The importance of newborn screening for thalassemia
• Current technologies used for newborn screening for thalassemia
• The current status of newborn screening for alpha thalassemia in the United States