News

Register Now for Global Genes’ RARE Patient Advocacy Summit

Registration is now open for Global Genes‘ 2021 RARE Patient Advocacy Summit. This year’s hybrid event will be livestreamed from California Sept. 27-29, and some seats also are available for attending the event in person in San Diego. “Here you’ll have the opportunity to connect and engage with others…

Virtual AADC Deficiency Awareness Day is Oct. 22

The second AADC Deficiency Awareness Day will take place virtually on Oct. 22. It is sponsored by the AADC Family Network and PTC Therapeutics, which is currently developing a gene therapy for aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency. PTC announced the event, which aims to raise awareness…

NORD Rare Disease Summit, Online Oct. 18-19, Open for Registration

Registration is now open for the 2021 Rare Diseases and Orphan Products Breakthrough Summit, which will be held virtually Oct. 18–19. The event, also known as the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) Summit, brings the rare disease community together to network and discuss developments in treatments and research…

Advocates Lobby US Congress During Virtual Rare Disease Week

More than 600 people participated in the 10th annual Rare Disease Week on Capitol Hill 2021, held virtually July 14–22, to advocate for the rare disease community. Hosted by the EveryLife Foundation’s Rare Disease Legislative Advocates (RDLA) program, the event brings together community members from across the U.S. to…

US Patient Groups Give Thumbs-Up to Rule Against Surprise Billing

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is applauding the Biden administration for announcing a rule to protect consumers from surprise medical billing, in a joint statement with 26 other U.S. patient organizations. The interim final rule will implement patient protections required by the No Surprises Act. Surprise…

Partnership Aims to Lower Out-of-Pocket Costs for Rare Disease Meds

AllianceRx Walgreens Prime, a specialty and home delivery pharmacy, is partnering with TailorMed, a healthcare technology company, to help lower out-of-pocket prescription costs for specialty pharmacy patients. Medications attained through specialty pharmacies are those used to treat rare and chronic conditions in the U.S., and are often extremely costly. For…

Nominations Open for 2022 Eurordis Black Pearl Awards

Nominations are now open for the worldwide 2022 Black Pearl Awards from Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe. The 12 award categories recognize individual advocates, policy makers, researchers, organizations, and companies who work to make a difference for the global rare disease community. The deadline for nominations is Sept. 10…

Gene Therapy Boosts Motor Skills, Life Quality in Young Patients

A gene therapy dramatically improved the motor functions and quality of life in children with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency in a recent Phase 1 clinical trial. The healthy copy of the AADC gene that the children received corrected the seizure-like episodes associated with the disorder and, in…

Partners to Develop Novel Tools for Global Rare Disease Research

QualityMetric and Pulse Infoframe are collaborating to develop instruments across rare diseases to support global research initiatives, including those searching for treatments. The scientifically validated instruments and surveys would prospectively benefit patients and families as well as scientists, treatment developers, and advocates. More than 300 million people…