Lack of Incentives, Poor Diagnoses Limit Orphan Drug Access in China, India

Patients with rare diseases in rural China and India are finding it increasingly difficult to obtain necessary medications, and both countries need to find ways to increase access to orphan drugs, experts say. Inaccurate diagnoses, a lack of innovative drugs and inadequate medical care are all barriers to effective treatment of rural patients with rare conditions, said Yi-Ou Wang, founder and president of China-Dolls Care and Support Association, and Duraiswamy Navaneetham, director of the Foundation for Research on Rare Diseases and Disorders India. They spoke April 13 at the World Orphan Drug Congress in National Harbor, Md.
International Pharmaceutical Regulatory Monitor