LEEM publishes "rare disease" briefing: 30 million cases in EU

France's drug industry trade association (LEEM) has published a briefing on the state of rare diseases in the country, based on the definition of less than one sufferer per 2,000 population. The LEEM notes that this amounts to diseases with fewer than 30,000 cases in France.

The report notes that there are between 5,000-7,000 categorized rare diseases, which between them affect about 6% of the European Union's population, or close to 30 million people. The French Health Ministry estimates that 35% of all infant (less than one year old) deaths are caused by rare diseases.