Bionews, the publisher of this website, hosted a virtual panel discussion on Rare Disease Day 2022, taking a deeper dive into what it’s like to live with a rare disease, including conversations about advocacy, mental health, survivor’s guilt, treatment of minority patients, and more. The Monday event, “A…
A rare disease puts an economic burden on the patients, families, and caregivers that it affects, and will no doubt be an integral part of discussions on Rare Disease Day 2022, which brings international awareness about the more than 300 million people living with rare disorders. Part of that…
The protein MeCP2 normally forms a complex with several other proteins in the brain that helps to regulate the development of connections between brain cells, a study reported. These findings offer new insight into how Rett syndrome and other conditions caused by mutations affecting MECP2 can develop. The study…
The nonprofit RARE-X is creating an easily-accessible, centralized data hub for all rare disease patient data that can help researchers answer questions about existing disorders, discover new ones, and work toward finding treatments. It was spun out of the work that Nicole Boice, founder and chief engagement officer of…
It’s been nearly a year since the EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases released its expansive report finding the total economic burden of rare disorders in the U.S. to be nearly $1 trillion.
A molecular sensor of infections called the NLRP3 inflammasome is overactive in immune cells of people with Rett syndrome, a new study reveals. The study, “The constitutive activation of TLR4-IRAK1- NFκB axis is involved in the early NLRP3 inflammasome response in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of…
Since 2008, Rare Disease Day — the last day of February — has brought together patients, caregivers, family members, friends, and advocates from around the world to raise awareness and improve equity for the more than 7,000 known rare diseases that affect more than 300 million people. In 2022, the…
People with Rett syndrome are likely to undergo an intervention at some point in their lives to ease their characteristic hand stereotypies, or continuous and purposeless hand movements, a Japanese study reported. Factors associated with this included age at diagnosis, walking difficulties, and the frequency of hand mouthing. Further studies…
Rett syndrome community members are invited to participate in a public meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to share their perspectives about the condition and help influence the development of new therapies. Hosted by the International Rett Syndrome Foundation and the Rett Syndrome Research…
The Rett Syndrome Research Trust (RSRT) has joined the new Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) Bespoke Gene Therapy Consortium (BGTC), which is working to speed the development of gene therapies for rare diseases. Launched in October 2021, the consortium is the latest AMP initiative — and the first focusing…
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