The quest for a cure

India has one of the highest prevalences of sickle cell disease in the world, and many of those affected are people from tribal communities and other historically disadvantaged groups. Recently approved gene therapies for sickle cell disease are an exciting new treatment option, but their price tags mean they are out of reach for health-care systems and individuals in lower- and middle-income countries. Researchers in India are now trying to develop similar gene therapies locally to serve people with severe sickle cell disease. Saritee Sanodiya, 26, has spent countless days wondering if she’ll ever live a “normal” life. Growing up, Sanodiya often missed school, frequenting the hospital for sudden, life-threatening drops in her hemoglobin levels and excruciating pain in her joints. High fever, severe headache, extreme fatigue, and difficulty breathing often accompanied these crises, which lasted days—occasionally weeks. “It would come out of nowhere,” she says. “The pain is hard