Thalassaemia Unit, First Department of Paediatrics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 

The University Thalassaemia Unit is the largest in Greece. Around 430 children and adult patients are transfused in the unit (about 15% of all patients in Greece). On a regular basis, more than 400 outpatients with benign hematological diseases such as non-transfusion-dependent Thalassaemia, Sickle Cell Disease, Hemoglobinopathy H, congenital red blood cell disorders, polyerythremia, hemochromatosis, congenital dyserythroid anemia, IRIDA, bone marrow failure syndromes, etc. are monitored. National registries of rare congenital hematological diseases such as Diamond-Blackfan anemia, Shwachman-Diamond syndrome, and congenital agranulocytosis have been organized in the Unit. The Unit’s research program has a long history with international recognition, as shown by the number of international publications (>150 from 2000 onwards) and the prestige of the journals (New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, Blood, etc), participations in international conferences, postgraduate research studies, participation in multicenter clinical studies and collaboration with leading Pediatric Hematology Oncology and Thalassemia centers abroad. The Unit participates in international and nationwide registries, sponsored clinical studies and research projects funded by various bodies, such as the European FP7 Support Framework, companies and patient support associations. Through these, patients have access to innovative treatments. Among the Unit’s most important distinctions is its recognition by the Ministry of Health (Government Gazette Issue B. No 4271/22.11.19) as a Center of Expertise for Rare Hematological Diseases and as a full member of the European Reference Network ERN-EuroBloodNet (since 1.1.2022).