The modern challenges of haemophilia care in childhood and adolescence

Modern haemophilia care based on good diagnosis and effective prophylaxis has allowed boys born with haemophilia to grow up leading essentially normal lives. Nevertheless, there remain challenges notably those posed by inhibitors and patient expectations. There is now a significant cohort of men in their 30s, 40s and 50s who have been looked after extremely well but many of whom now have significant ankle arthropathy because they played football, even when advised not to do so at a time when prophylaxis was limited or started late. The imminent era of longer-acting clotting factors and gene therapy will also impact on future patient expectations. Meeting and managing these challenges will be much enhanced by the development and maintenance of good relationships between the patient and the haemophilia team.