BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A project initiated by the Chinese Red Cross Foundation (CRCF) has invited experts and physicians to discuss ways to improve the diagnosis and treatment of patients with rare diseases.
The experts proposed utilizing medical insurance, medical assistance, commercial insurance, charity and other resources to establish a mechanism for ensuring the supply of affordable drugs targeting rare diseases.
They called for concerted efforts across disciplines to treat patients with rare diseases.
The project will offer training for clinicians to help them better diagnose and treat rare diseases, according to the CRCF.
China has more than 20 million people with rare diseases who typically face misdiagnoses and have limited options for medication.
A slew of policies have been rolled out to better meet the needs of these patients. An information system was also launched by the National Health Commission to register the treatment of rare diseases.
A collection of drugs targeting rare diseases have benefited from the country's VAT reduction policy aimed to lower the cost for patients and boost the development of the pharmaceutical industry. Enditem
