The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation founded in 1986 by a small group of patients and parents representing mainly National Thalassaemia Associations in Cyprus, Greece, UK, USA and Italy; that is, countries who first recognised thalassaemia as an important public health issue and who began to promote and implement the first national programmes for thalassaemia control, including prevention and clinical management. TIF was officially registered under Cyprus Company Law in 1987, and since 1996 it has worked in official relations with the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Through the years, TIF has established collaborations and networks with a number of other official health orientated agencies and associations, and patient orientated organizations at the national, regional and international level. Today, TIF has evolved into an umbrella federation, with 232 member associations, in 62 countries of the world (Last update: December 2019), safeguarding the rights of patients to quality health and other care.