Screening Student Athletes for Sickle Cell Trait — A Social and Clinical Experiment

On April 13, 2010, the legislative council for Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) approved mandatory testing for sickle cell carrier status (sickle cell trait) for all student athletes participating in Division I sports. Students are to begin being tested for the first season during which they are eligible to compete, and the new rule takes effect this academic year (2010–2011).1 NCAA data for the 2008–2009 academic year suggest that the requirement will ultimately affect more than 166,900 student athletes. The NCAA program is the most extensive and high-profile sickle cell screening program instituted in the past . . .