After many years of short-term clinical trials of the orally active agent deferiprone and much controversy about its efficacy and toxicity, recent published data have been favorable on both aspects.
These suggest that the drug at a dose of 75 mg/kg/d may be at least as effective as DFO in protecting patients from iron-induced cardiomyopathy. Hepatic fibrosis does not appear to be a problem, and the established side effects do not lead to the need for discontinuation of the drug in the majority of patients.