Rare diseases research gets 144 million-euro funding from European Commission

On Rare Disease Day 2013 (February 28), the European Commission announced 144 million euros ($189.5 million) of new funding for 26 research projects on rare diseases. The projects will help improve the lives of some of the 30 million Europeans suffering from a rare disease, it was noted.

The selected projects bring together over 300 participants from 29 countries in Europe and beyond, including teams from leading academic institutions, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and patients' groups. The goal is to pool resources and work beyond borders, to get a better understanding of rare diseases and find adequate treatments.

Maire Geoghegan-Quinn, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, said: "Most rare diseases affect children and most of them are devastating genetic disorders resulting in greatly reduced quality of life and premature death. We hope that these new research projects will bring patients, their families and health professionals closer to a cure and support them in their daily battle with disease."