Hello, I understand your concern. As you may know, polycythemia is a condition where the bone marrow, due to a gene malfunction, produces too many blood cells, usually red blood cells, causing the blood to thicken. The faulty gene may either have been passed on by the parents, or undergone an aberration during the person s life causing it to malfunction. Phlebotomy, frequent removal of blood, combined with aspirin, is usually the first line of treatment. If, that is not enough, then hydroxyurea is added. This is a drug which lowers the number of blood cells. Sometimes, interferon alfa is also used. It works by inhibiting the formation of blood cells. For patients who do not find relief with hydroxyurea or who cannot tolerate its side effects, Ruxolitinib is a very good alternative. I hope this answers your question. Wishing you good health and all the best.