Newark Sickle Cell Program

Newark Sickle Cell Program, part of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School / University Hospital, in Newark, NJ, provides comprehensive sickle cell disease care for adult. A comprehensive SCD clinic delivers hematology follow-up, transfusion services, pain management, stem-cell-transplant evaluation, and behavioral-health support in one coordinated program rather than forcing families to navigate multiple siloed specialty appointments.

Typical services include: hemoglobin genotyping + confirmatory testing after a positive newborn screen; twice-daily penicillin prophylaxis oversight through age five; hydroxyurea initiation and dose titration (the cornerstone disease-modifying therapy); management of vaso-occlusive crises + chronic pain protocols; monitoring for acute chest syndrome, stroke, and end-organ damage; transfusion therapy + chelation where indicated; authorized site for Casgevy (exa-cel) and/or Lyfgenia (lovo-cel) CRISPR gene therapy — the two FDA-approved one-time curative therapies for severe SCD; adolescent-to-adult transition programming — structured handoff from pediatric to adult hematology, the highest-mortality window in the SCD lifespan.

This center is a member of the NHLBI Sickle Cell Disease Implementation Consortium (SCDIC), a federally funded network of comprehensive SCD centers that harmonize clinical research and care protocols. To become a patient, call the number on this page or ask your primary-care provider to fax a referral. Bring your most recent CBC, any prior hematology notes, and a list of current medications to the intake appointment.