News

According to a new study comparing older and younger sarcoidosis patients, elderly people with sarcoidosis tend to have more severe disease and worse clinical outcomes. The study, “Elderly sarcoidosis: A comparative study from a 42-year single-centre experience,” was published in the journal Respiratory Medicine.  Sarcoidosis usually presents…

A new international consortium based in Paris, and funded largely by the 28-member European Union, intends to speed the diagnosis of rare diseases, while also accelerating the development of treatments for the 95% of such illnesses that currently don’t have one. The European Joint Programme on Rare Diseases (EJP…

Work-related hazards account for nearly 1 in 3 cases of sarcoidosis, and for at least 1 in 10 cases of other respiratory diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and bronchitis, a new analysis suggests. The analyss, “The Occupational Burden of Nonmalignant Respiratory Diseases. An…

A violinist with vasculitis, two Texas politicians and a pharmaceutical company whose marijuana-derived therapy helps kids with Dravet syndrome were among winners of the 2019 Rare Impact Awards. Officials of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) presented the awards during a June 22 dinner attended by…

People with sarcoidosis have a higher degree of physical inactivity compared with healthy individuals, a pilot study led by researchers from the King’s College London shows. Physical activity monitors, such as the accelerometer device ActivPal, can provide a unique perspective on the impact of sarcoidosis on patients’…

Europe’s umbrella organization for 800 rare disease associations has developed a sweeping initiative to help the continent’s 30 million rare disease patients and their caregivers learn about their conditions, find assistance and receive treatment. Eurordis-Rare Diseases Europe hopes to improve the current piecemeal treatment and support program with a holistic,…

People with rare diseases know that the right government policies can make a big difference in the quality of their own lives, and those of their caregivers. But most lawmakers aren’t experts in even one well-known disease — let alone the world’s estimated 7,000 rare disorders. So how does the…