Doctors across Ontario are lauding the province’s new guidelines for diagnosing iron deficiency, which raise the baseline levels of ferritin used in lab results. Effective September 9, the updated thresholds—30 micrograms per litre for adults and 20 for children—will help identify iron deficiency earlier. Dr. Menaka Pai, a hematology professor, and Dr. Michelle Sholzberg, director of hematology at the University of Toronto, emphasize the transformative impact on patients, especially women and marginalized groups, ensuring quicker diagnosis and treatment for those experiencing fatigue, low concentration, and other symptoms.
Dr. Pai calls the update “a game changer,” stressing how the new guidelines will enable many who were previously told their iron levels were normal to finally receive proper treatment. Dr. Sholzberg highlighted how the change, developed after years of research and advocacy, addresses health inequities, particularly for women and lower-income individuals. Iron deficiency, left untreated, can progress to anemia, leading to more severe health complications such as hospitalization or blood transfusions. With proper treatment, such as oral or intravenous iron supplements, symptoms often resolve, significantly improving patients’ quality of life.
The Ministry of Health noted that healthcare providers will determine how to implement the guidelines, but iron infusions administered in hospitals will be covered by the province.
This move represents a major shift in preventive healthcare, ensuring earlier interventions for a condition that affects about 40% of women and girls in Ontario, according to Dr. Sholzberg.
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