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Bleeding Disorders

 

Bleeding disorders are a group of disorders that share the inability to form a proper blood clot. They are characterized by extended bleeding after injury, surgery, trauma or menstruation. Sometimes the bleeding is spontaneous, without a known or identifiable cause. Improper clotting can be caused by defects in blood components such as platelets and/or clotting proteins, also called clotting factors.

 

Hemophilia occurs predominantly in males, but can occur in women. In about one-third of cases the disorder results from a spontaneous genetic mutation rather than by a family history of hemophilia. Hemophilia treatment may require life-long infusion of clotting factor based on the severity of the disorder. Average hemophilia treatment costs between $60,000 and $260,000 per year. Early recognition and prompt treatment of bleeds can help keep these costs down as well as reduce disability.

 

von Willebrand Disease is a bleeding disorder caused by a defect or deficiency of a blood clotting protein, called von Willebrand Factor. The disease is estimated to occur in 1% of the population; many are undiagnosed. vWD is a genetic disease that can be inherited from either parent. It affects males and females equally. A man or woman with VWD has a 50% chance of passing the gene on to his or her child. There are no racial or ethnic associations with the disorder. A family history of a bleeding disorder is the primary risk factor.

 

Other Factor Deficiencies: There are ten clotting factors that are necessary in forming a blood clot. Deficiencies in factors VIII and IX are well known to most people, but what of the other factor deficiencies? Not everyone is as familiar with these conditions because they are diagnosed so rarely. To date, deficiencies in eight of the lesser known coagulation factors have been documented in the medical literature. Many of these disorders were only discovered or described within the last 40 years.

News from HFA

  • Word from Washington: August 2023

    Advocates are responding to yet another payer-side, cost-saving scheme that harms patient access to medicine. The latest version, the so-called “alternative funding program” (AFP), is a shady strategy pitched to employers that promises to lower health plan spending on specialty drugs such as bleeding disorder products and other expensive medicines. AFP vendors advise employer health The post Word from Washington: August 2023 appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • UPDATE: Takeda to Voluntarily Replace Certain BAXJECT® II Reconstitution Devices

    UPDATE as of 8/28/2023 Takeda, in agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has decided to voluntarily replace BAXJECT® II reconstitution devices produced by Baxter between October 2021 and January 2022 co-packaged for use in conjunction with RECOMBINATE™ [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant)] and RIXUBIS® [Coagulation [Factor IX (Recombinant)]. Takeda has received reports of white The post UPDATE: Takeda to Voluntarily Replace Certain BAXJECT® II Reconstitution Devices appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • Dear Addy: In-District Legislative Meetings

    Dear Addy, With Congress in recess, how can I continue to participate in legislative advocacy? Signed, Bleeding Disorders Advocate Dear Bleeding Disorders Advocate, Every August, the United States Congress embarks on a recess, temporarily adjourning its legislative business and allowing members to return to their home states and districts. The August recess tradition serves as The post Dear Addy: In-District Legislative Meetings appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • Word from Washington: July 2023

    July saw mounting coverage losses from the national Medicaid unwinding. As of July 28, nearly four million people have been disenrolled from Medicaid since redeterminations began in April 2023. Three-quarters of that total lost coverage for procedural reasons, i.e., paperwork, and may still be eligible for Medicaid. In response to this dismaying track record:  Also The post Word from Washington: July 2023 appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.

  • Dear Addy: Finding Community

    Dear Addy, I am the only person I know who has a bleeding disorder. I don’t know any other patients at my HTC, and I live pretty far away from my nearest member organization, so I don’t usually get the chance to attend community events. I want to connect with others in the community, but The post Dear Addy: Finding Community appeared first on Hemophilia Federation of America.