As I mentioned in an earlier column, the news that my firstborn son had hemophilia caught my wife and me entirely off guard. When we spoke with the obstetrician, the only word we heard was hemophilia. We later learned that my son had another diagnosis: a low inhibitor titer. The…

First in a series. Every person is unique, shaped by the combination of their upbringing, education, cultural influences, values, attitudes, and behaviors. No two people are exactly alike. Even identical twins, while genetically similar, have differences, including their fingerprints. Medical conditions can also emphasize a person’s individuality. While many may…

When I was diagnosed with hemophilia B and von Willebrand disease as a child, there were no choices in terms of treatment strategy. Treatment for me came in the form of intravenous blood products administered only in the hospital. Fast-forward to today, and I’m fortunate to have options…

The blood-clotting protein factor VIII (FVIII) that’s missing or faulty in people with hemophilia A is flexible and adopts multiple shapes, some of which favor the binding of neutralizing antibodies that can reduce the effectiveness of FVIII replacement therapies, researchers have learned. “This helps explain why some people…

I have diabetes and give myself insulin shots every evening. There is not much to the process. I draw up the insulin into a syringe and find a place in the area around my stomach. Once I choose the site, I plunge the tiny needle into my skin. No harm,…

Bone defects were seen since birth — and following injury — in mouse models of hemophilia A and B, but not in Von Willebrand (VWD) disease mice, a study shows. Researchers said further study into the potential mechanisms of primary bone deficits in hemophilia may help in…

Biomarin Pharmaceutical is looking to sell off rights to Roctavian (valoctocogene roxaparvovec-rvox), its approved gene therapy for hemophilia A. “As we focus on the business units aligned with our strategic priorities, today we are announcing the decision to pursue options to divest Roctavian and remove it from…

Chronic joint inflammation lowers the health-related quality of life in people with severe hemophilia, a European study reports, and urges physicians to be aware of this association in treating patients. The research, “The impact of severe haemophilia and the presence of target joints on health-related quality-of-life,” appeared in…

In the Christian tradition, the season of Advent occurs for the four weeks leading to Christmas. Through the time leading up to the birth of Christ, we take a fearless moral inventory and address the issues that keep us from experiencing hope and contentment. I often equate Advent as a…

Endothelial cells — those that line the inside of blood vessels — derived from stem cells of people with hemophilia A and modified to produce functional factor VIII were able to ease blood loss in a mouse model of the disease, a study reported. These findings support the potential of induced…