U.S. ERs Are Failing Sickle Cell Patients In Pain, Study Says

Key Takeaways

U.S. emergency rooms aren’t providing prompt treatment for sickle cell pain crisis

Only 1 in 3 patients get opioid painkillers in a timely manner, as recommended

Kids are more likely than adults to get proper treatment

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2025 (HealthDay News) — U.S. emergency rooms are failing patients in severe pain from a sickle cell disease crisis, a new study says.

Only 1 in 3 patients in an ER for sickle cell crisis receive opioid painkillers within the first hour as treatment guidelines recommend, researchers reported Saturday in Orlando at an American Society of Hematology meeting.

Adults, in particular, wound up experiencing prolonged suffering while waiting to receive opioids as recommended, researchers found.

“One of the challenges of identifying sickle cell