Hydroxyurea Use for Sickle Cell Anemia Patients is Underutilized Even Within a Universal Health Care System

Background: Sickle cell anemia (SCA) is a common hematologic disease in the US which results in severe morbidity and mortality affecting the African American population. Hydroxyurea is a safe and efficacious drug that decreases ischemic events and end-organ damage. Hydroxyurea was found in a randomized placebo controlled trial (BABY HUG) to be beneficial to children and was strongly recommended for pediatric use in 2014. There is concern that this therapy, now considered standard of care, remains underutilized. Objective: We aim to describe …