Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026

ALS - Motor Neuron Disease: Mechanism and Development of New Therapies
Published on: July 29, 2007
Are rare diseases still orphans or happily adopted? The challenges of developing and using orphan medicinal products
James W Dear1, Pajaree Lilitkarntakul, David J Webb
1Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh, UK.
Abstract:
Orphan medicinal products (OMPs) are targeted at the diagnosis, prevention or treatment of rare diseases and have a special status in European law. This status brings incentives for pharmaceutical companies to invest in OMP development. The goal of the legislation is to encourage the development of more treatments for life-threatening rare disorders, but increased availability of OMPs raises important issues surrounding the public funding of very expensive treatments by national health services. In this article we review OMPs and the incentives for their development and discuss the challenges presented by funding these treatments.
Related Concept Videos
Prescription, Nonprescription and Orphan Drugs
The misuse and addiction to prescription drugs is a growing problem that can affect people of all age groups, specifically teenagers. This can happen when prescription medications are used in ways not intended by the prescriber, such as taking someone else's prescription or using medication for...
Preclinical Development: Overview
Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy the...
Drug Discovery: Overview
Immunodeficiency Diseases
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency disorders...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

