The thalassemia syndromes are a diverse group of hereditary anemias caused by decreased or absent production of one type of globin chain. Genetic counseling, prenatal diagnosis, and newborn screening are all issues of importance in these inherited disorders. This book provides a comprehensive overview of thalassemia, including information on its mechanisms and treatment modalities. Chapters elucidate the mechanism of disordered synthesis of hemoglobin in thalassemia and present recent studies of the genetic mechanisms that underlie this abnormal biosynthetic process.