Rare Disease Day 2013: Rare Disorders Without Borders

Today is the sixth annual Rare Disease Day, an international advocacy day held on the last day of February — a rare day for rare people. On this day, millions of patients and their families from more than 60 countries and regions around the world will share their story to promote awareness of the challenges of living with a rare disease and bring widespread recognition of rare diseases as a global health challenge. This year’s slogan is “Rare Disorders without Borders”, which emphasizes the need for international cooperation. Reaching out across borders In the United States, a rare disease is any disease that affects less that 200,000 people. There are nearly 7,000 rare diseases, also called orphan diseases [1]. Most of these diseases are genetic, serious, chronic and debilitating. For 2013, the slogan “Rare Disorders Without Borders” expresses the global solidarity of the rare disease community. Rare disease patients all over the world face many of the same medical, social and economic challenges. United, the global rare disease community is determined to build a better world for patients. Reaching out across borders can help remind rare disease patients that they are not alone. Rare diseases affect over 250 million people worldwide. Reaching out across borders can help researchers find common solutions. Indeed, advances in rare disease research have more chances of succeeding if they are pursued internationally when many teams of res...
Source: Highlight HEALTH - Category: Medical Scientists Authors: Source Type: blogs