Understanding Sickle Cell Disease

Although more is known about sickle cell disease than about any other inherited disease, no cure for it exists. In America alone, about one in 375 who are of African ancestry is born with sickle cell disease. A smaller number of Americans descended from families from the Mediterranean area, the Middle East, and India also are affected. In addition, about eight percent of black Americans who do not suffer from the disease itself carry the gene for it that can be transmitted to their children. Sic