- SFG FRC 2027 | Program starts from 19th Dec. 2026 | Admissions open for Entrance Test Click Here to know more →
- Prelims Test Series (PTS) for Prelims 2027 starts 11th Oct. 2026 Click Here to know more →
- [Pre-order] Ethics Redbook 3rd Edition: Delivery starts from 10th October onwards Click Here to Read More →
- 21 Sept. | GS Advance Program (GSAP) for UPSC 2027 Mains starts from 11th Oct. Click Here to Read More →
News: Last week, the Delhi High Court had issued directions to improve the availability of ‘orphan drugs’.
1. Orphan Drugs: They are the medicines used to diagnose, prevent or treat an orphan (rare) disease.
2. Rare Diseases: World Health Organisation defines rare disease as a debilitating lifelong disease or disorder with a prevalence of 1 or less, per 1000 population.
3. In India, rare diseases are classified into 3 groups: Group 1 diseases can be treated with one-time curative procedure, Group 2 diseases require long term or lifelong treatment, which are relatively less costly while Group 3 diseases have definite treatment available, but they are expensive and must often continue lifelong.
4. The National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) was launched in 2021 by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, under which financial assistance up to Rs. 50 lakh is provided to patients receiving treatment at an identified Centres of Excellence (CoE).
