British-Pakistani Dr Sher Bahadur Anjum has achieved a UK milestone by treating two young thalassaemia patients with gene therapy, freeing them from lifelong blood transfusions and giving them a normal life.
LONDON – In a groundbreaking advancement and a UK first, British-Pakistani pediatric hemorratology specialist Dr Sher Bahadur Anjum, originally hailing from Gilgit-Baltistan, has led a successful gene therapy treatment for two youngThalassaemia Patients at Newham Hospital, part of Barts Health NHS Trust Geo.tv.
The recipients—boys aged 11 and 13 from a Bangladeshi background—had been reliant on monthly blood transfusions. Thanks to this innovative therapy administered in collaboration with Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), they are now transfusion-free and thriving with significantly improved health Geo.tv.
Before the genetic treatment Thalassaemia Patients, Dr Anjum’s team prepared the boys over three months with blood tests, vaccinations, and optimized haemoglobin levels. Post-therapy, extensive monitoring ensured their recovery, blood counts, and side effect management continued smoothly Geo.tv.
Convincing the families to proceed wasn’t easy. The novelty and complexity of gene therapy raised understandable concerns. However, after nearly a year of patient dialogue and reassurance, both families agreed. Dr Anjum received an honorary contract at GOSH to facilitate seamless support before, during, and after the treatment Geo.tv.
Six months later, Dr Anjum describes the transformation as “extraordinary”—two children once bound by transfusion schedules are now enjoying normal, energetic lives, their future freed from the chronic burden of the disease Geo.tv.
He added, “It shows the power of gene therapy to turn despair into hope, and it highlights what collaboration within the NHS can achieve when we put patients and families at the heart of care.” Geo.tv
This pioneering effort by a Pakistani-origin doctor in the UK signals a new era of possibility for families affected by thalassaemia.
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