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Iron chelation therapy is another method used to deplete the body of excess iron and is an option for those patients who cannot tolerate or are not appropriate candidates for repeated therapeutic phlebotomy. This treatment involves injecting a chemical called an iron chelator into the bloodstream, which preferentially binds to iron forming a soluble complex that is then excreted in the urine. The only pharmacological iron-chelating agent approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in humans is deferoxamine or desferrioxamine (Desferal). Deferoxamine is administered either by injection, intravenously, or via a battery-operated portable pump. According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), iron chelation therapy "lacks the complete efficacy of phlebotomy and should be employed only when absolutely necessary". Iron chelation therapy is also considerably more expensive than phlebotomy. Potential adverse effects of iron chelation therapy include:

• Pain, swelling, and itching at the site of injection
• Allergic reactions
• Discoloration of urine (reddish color)