Sickle cell anemia has been known in this country for more than 60 years. Despite the fact that we have learned a great deal about the molecular nature of sickle cell hemoglobin and its genetic characteristics, we still must gain a better understanding of the sickling process, and the specific programs needed for its treatment, and we must develop a more thorough formulation of the basis for the complications of the disease.
A considerable increase of interest in sickle cell disease occurred in 1971 following the President's Health Message to Congress in which sickle cell anemia was described as a national health problem and in which a budget recommendation for an additional $5 million for expanded research of this disorder was made. This amount was later increased to an overall total of $10 million for research and service activities in fiscal year 1972 and to a total of $15 million