- Most common inherited disease in Caucasians
- Genetic susceptibility is 1 in 250 in people with a European genetic background
- Caused by an inappropriate increase in iron absorption leading to iron deposition in the liver and other organs
- SLULC investigators were directly involved in gene discovery published in 1996
- Easily treated by frequent blood donations
- Important to detect early to start treatment before liver damage occurs which can typically start by age 40 in men and age 60 in women
