Thalassaemia is the name for a group of inherited blood disorders that affect the way red blood cells are produced. It includes alpha and beta thalassaemia, which are different conditions. If you have thalassaemia, it means there is a problem with the structure of your haemoglobin chain and you don't produce enough healthy haemoglobin. If you have beta thalassaemia, it means that production of the beta chain is affected. The effects of the condition depend on how many genes are involved and the severity of the defect resulting from the faulty genes.
Attribution: BUPA