Thalassemia is an inherited disorder that affects the production of hemoglobin and causes anemia. Hemoglobin is the substance in red blood cells that enables them to transport oxygen throughout the body. It is composed of a heme molecule and protein molecules called globins. Owing to an inherited genetic trait, lower-than-normal amounts of globins are manufactured in the bone marrow. If the trait is inherited from both parents, a globin may be entirely absent. Thalassemia causes varying degrees of anemia, which can range from insignificant to life threatening. People of Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, African, and Asian descent are at higher risk of carrying the genes for thalassemia.

Hemoglobin molecules are vital for transporting oxygen throughout the body. Hemoglobin and red blood cell production is carried out in the bone marrow, a spongy tissue found within certain bones, such as the hips, skull, and breast bone. The hemoglobin molecule is...