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Background: In thalassemia major as a chronic disease patients need to require information about the disease processes and therapeutic interventions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice behavior of thalassemic patients. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive knowledge, attitude and practice study conducted in Zafar adult thalassemia clinic, Tehran, Iran, with a simple random sampling. The questionnaire was designed by a research team including an expert physician involved in counseling and education of thalassemic patients for many years. Results: One hundred and ninety thalassemic patients entered the study. Ninety nine patients (52.1%) were female, 91(47.9%) were male, with age range of 14 to 48 years (mean 26.79 ±5.96). Results of the knowledge part of the questionnaire indicated that 39 % of patients had poor information about thalassemia 32.5% had little information and 28.5% had satisfying information. Fifty eight percent of patients had a positive attitude towards their appearance, quality of life and social relations. Positive attitude was significantly correlated with good knowledge (p=0.009). Low knowledge about the disease had caused treatment to be irregular and improper. Based on our questionnaire 144 patients (75.8%) were depressed which was significantly higher among females (P=0.002). Conclusion: Increasing knowledge, attitude and practice awareness among thalassemic patients considering their disease and treatment methods has a positive influence in their quality of life. This will improve their performance to deal with their lifelong disease and its challenges during the course of treatment.

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Background: Deferoxamine mesylate is still the conventional and well-known iron chelator for patients with thalassemia major. However, due to some marketing issues the well-known original brand, Desferal®, produced by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Company is not as available as before. The generic brands of Deferoxamine have been introduced in many parts of the world including Iran; however, they are not well accepted by the physicians and patients yet. This triple-blind randomized controlled trial was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of a new Iranian generic and the original brand product of Deferoxamine mesylate in Iranian patients. 
Methods: The present Randomized triple-blind controlled trial research was carried on  in nine centers throughout Iran. They were randomly divided into two similar groups and a Cross-over study was designed. 24-hour urine was collected after subcutaneous infusion of either drugs and urinary iron excretion was measured via atomic absorption spectrophotometer device. Acute adverse events during and after drug infusion were recorded. Mack Nara test and p-pair test were applied to compare two cross over interventions. 
Results: 154 patients from 9 centers were enrolled in this study. There were 95 women and 59 men aged 6-34 years (mean age of 21.1years). Mean urinary iron concentration for Desferal (intervention A) vs. Desfonak (intervention B) groups was 22.5±22.6 vs. 21.5±16.9 mg/m2 , respectively. Mean urinary iron excretion/Kg body weight for Desferal (intervention A) vs. Desfonak (intervention B) groups was 0.48±0.48 vs. 0.47±0.40 mg/m2, respectively. 
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, there was similarity between efficacy and safety of the original and generic brands of deferoxamine (desferal vs. desfonac).