Will recent innovations in therapy save perceived deficiencies in self-sufficiency policies

Future treatment for patients with haemophilia may include the use of either gene therapy, recombinant factor VIII, recombinant factor IX, or high-purity factor IX. Studies on gene therapy are still at the pre-clinical stage, while clinical trials of recombinant factor IX are expected to start by mid-1995. High-purity factor IX concentrates are available and are the treatment of choice for patients with haemophilia B in the absence of a source of recombinant factor IX. Recombinant factor VIII provides a renewable and unlimited source of factor VIII, and is a safe and effective treatment for haemophilia A.