Pandemic Won’t Stop Rare Disease Day on Feb. 28

Scores of virtual events are afoot around the world to mark Rare Disease Day 2021 on Feb. 28. The activities are focused on heightening awareness about rare diseases and the hundreds of millions of individuals they are thought to affect. Patients, caregivers, and advocates worldwide will sport denim ribbons…

The first patient dosed with AVR-RD-01, an investigational gene therapy being tested in the ongoing Phase 2 FAB-GT clinical trial in people with Fabry disease, showed a 100% reduction, or complete clearance of toxic substrate, in a kidney biopsy…

Being a primary caregiver for a patient with a rare disorder like Fabry disease can be physically, mentally, and emotionally draining. As this disease progresses, patients also tend to become more and more dependent on care. Respite care offers caregivers time in which to take a break, relax, and…

While progress was made last year on newborn screening and other policy issues critical to rare disease patients, a “State Report Card” argues that many concerns — notably out-of-pocket costs for prescription medicines and access to affordable comprehensive care — still need attention. Those were the findings of the…

Fabry disease is a progressive, potentially life-threatening, rare, genetic disorder. Many people with Fabry disease succumb to heart disease, kidney disease, and stroke at relatively young ages. A common question asked by people diagnosed with Fabry disease is, “How long will I live?” When I first learned that I have…

A charitable program can help people with lysosomal storage disorders, such as Fabry disease, who live in underserved communities worldwide gain access to essential treatments, a study reports. The study, “A charitable access program for patients with lysosomal storage disorders in underserved communities worldwide,” was published in…

Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), which provides the specific enzymes missing in Fabry patients, can help to ease or even stop your symptoms if you have this disease. However, it is a lifelong treatment, with the enzyme given continuously over time. Here is an overview of what to expect if…

Fabry disease patients treated with Galafold (migalastat) had stable kidney (renal) function for up to eight and a half years — regardless of treatment status, sex, or disease characteristics — an analysis of clinical trials found. Notably, the treatment — designed only for people with certain mutations in…

The two COVID-19 vaccines that recently received emergency approval from the U.S. and other worldwide regulatory agencies are expected to pose little risk to the rare disease community, including to patients with compromised immune systems or those participating in gene therapy studies. That was the message of a recent…

ThinkGenetic is set to release a version of its online interactive tool to help in the diagnosis of Fabry disease as part of upcoming pilot initiatives by Takeda Pharmaceutical. The initial pilot programs, to be released this year, will also include versions of the diagnostic tool, called…