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Prevention of β thalassemia requires knowledge of the molecular spectrum occurring in the population at risk. This knowledge is particularly necessary when prevention control is applied to a multiethnic population. For this purpose, we are analyzing different populations of Orissa (India). During the study we encountered a β thalassemia major patient (a child) who was doubly heterozygous for IVS I-5(G→C) and codon 15(G→A) alleles where codon 15(G→A) was for the first time found in the father of the patient. Also, the patient showed severe clinical abnormalities because of the severe nature of these β thalassemia alleles. This will provide further insights into β globin gene regulation and the genotype–phenotype relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]