title: [Orphan drugs--medications for patients with rare diseases].
abstract: Orphan drugs (ODs) are products developed for the diagnosis and/or treatment of rare diseases and conditions. Patients with this group of disorders have historically been denied access to medical therapy because prescription drug manufacturers could rarely make a profit from marketing such drugs. This changed in 1983, when the U.S. Congress passed the Orphan Drug Act, creating financial incentives for manufacturers. Since 2000 the EU has had a similar regulation, resulting in more than 20 ODs being granted marketing authorisation in the EU.
authors.affiliation: Laegehuset, Nivå, Amtssygehuset i Gentofte, Dermatologisk Afdeling, og Swedish Orphan International AB. thielkedk@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Desirée
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thielke
authors.forename: Jacob Pontoppidan
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Thyssen
authors.forename: Bo Jesper
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising; D004345:Drug Industry / Q000191:economics; D005062:European Union; D006801:Humans; D009965:Orphan Drug Production / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014481:United States