Taken together, an increase in EPO production in thalassemia patients per se will enhance erythropoietic activity to compensate for ineffective erythropoiesis and anemia, while EPO supplementation will stimulate intramedullary erythropoiesis in the bone marrow, decrease extramedullary erythropoiesis in the liver and spleen as well as accelerate the utilization of tissue iron. The gene discussed is EPO; the disease is anemia.