News

Raremark, an online rare disease patient community, has launched a digital platform called Xperiome, aimed at streamlining the search for new medicines for rare disorders and incorporating more patient input into research. The goal is to help the pharmaceutical industry deliver innovative new therapies faster and smarter, the…

The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases has launched a scholarship fund in the U.S. to support individuals with rare disorders who are pursuing personal goals through training and education. The initial phase of the five-year, $1-million #RAREis Scholarship Fund will include 32 scholarships — each totaling $5,000 —…

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the postponement of a rare disease film festival originally slated for May, its organizers set out to find a new way to bring the films to an audience.  Co-founders Daniel DeFabio and Bo Bigelow, who are both fathers of children with…

A simple urine test using widely available methods may help diagnose people with aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, a study reports.  The study, “Semi-quantitative detection of a vanillactic acid/vanillylmandelic acid ratio in urine is a…

To raise awareness of the rare disease community and celebrate the creativity of its members, the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases is seeking submissions to the 2020 Rare Artist contest. Established in 2010, the contest is open internationally to patients, caregivers, physicians, friends, or anyone else who…

A case study of a 3-month-old patient provided evidence to support the use of a urine organic acid analysis in the diagnosis of aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency, offering a non-invasive approach for identifying the disease. The report, “Urine Organic Acid (UOA) Analysis for…

The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases has launched a nationwide National Burden of Rare Disease Survey to measure the full implications, economic and social, of living with rare disease in the United States. People with rare diseases know that the impacts of such conditions extend beyond just medical…

The Alexion Charitable Foundation has awarded $1.1 million in grants to programs that support those with rare diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization recently announced. The grants will support activities that align with the foundation’s Rare Belonging focus, a set of funding priorities aimed at improving the…

Four biomarkers of aromatic l-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency have been identified in the cerebrospinal fluid of children with the condition, a new study reports. These disease markers may aid in diagnosis when adjusted for a patient’s age, the researchers said.

The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) recently created a Rare Disease Diversity Coalition focused on reducing racial disparities in the rare disease community. Getting a timely and accurate diagnosis for a disease that few people — sometimes even physicians — have heard of is challenging on its own merit.