Rare Disease Day 2012 - EUROPE

Rare Disease Day 2012 - EUROPE

On the occasion of Rare Disease Day, EURORDIS will hold a one-day conference to highlight the achievements of European cooperation in the field of rare diseases and to call for rare diseases to be a priority in the 3rd EU Public Health Programme and 8th Research Framework Programme.

The event, entitled "Rare Diseases: A Model of EU Solidarity", will take place on February 29 at the Residence Palace in Brussels. Amongst the distinguished keynote speakers are Director of DG Health, Paola Testori Coggi and Head of Health at DG Research, Ruxandra Draghia Akli, as well as Member of the European Parliament Nessa Childers and Georgian First Lady, Sandra Roelofs.

Throughout the day, participants will discuss the value-added of the rare disease European model with examples of successful European Reference Networks, presented by experts and patient advocates. The meeting will bring together high-level representatives of European institutions, the research community, industry, patients and the media.

This initiative is particularly relevant given that rare diseases have been recognised as an area of unique European added value for Community action, and is particularly timely in today's crisis-stricken Europe.