Can hemophilia be cured? It depends on the definition

Abstract

Over the years, the palette of treatment options for hemophilia has grown extensively, leading to an increased life expectancy and quality of life for people living with hemophilia. Nonetheless, it is frequently emphasized that none of the current treatment modalities provides a “cure.” It is therefore hoped that innovative treatments such as gene therapy may bridge this void. However, the precise definition of a “cure” for hemophilia remains unclear. In this review, we show how the concept of cure is currently used in the field of hemophilia. We then relate the discussion on cure to debates surrounding the classification of hemophilia and philosophical debates on the concepts of health and disease.