Conference addresses burden of beta-thalassemia management in Cyprus

On September 23, 2026, a press conference was held in Cyprus, hosted by the biopharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb, to address the ongoing challenges of managing beta-thalassemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Experts discussed the need to reduce the burden of frequent blood transfusions, which currently lead to iron overload, a significant complication requiring systematic monitoring.

Statistics presented during the event indicate that approximately 15% of the Cypriot population, or one in seven people, are carriers of the condition. Currently, specialized centers in Cyprus are monitoring 652 patients with the disease, 598 of whom suffer from the major form. Participants included Dr. Sotiroula Christou, head of the Nicosia Thalassemia Clinic, along with representatives from the Ministry of Health and the Health Insurance Organization.

Cyprus has maintained a national prevention and voluntary blood donation framework since the 1970s and has hosted a World Health Organization collaborating center for thalassemia since 1985. The conference emphasized the necessity of institutional cooperation and continued access to innovative therapeutic developments to improve the daily lives of patients facing chronic anemia and transfusion-related side effects.