Shire initiative highlights need for improved rare disease diagnoses

Shire has announced the launch of a new educational initiative to coincide with Rare Disease Day 2015.

Dubbed Diagnosis Doesn't Have to be Rare, the campaign will see the firm making educational materials available to highlight the challenging journey many patients face. Currently, the average time to diagnosis for rare diseases is around five years and typically involves two or three misdiagnoses.

The campaign umbrella will continue to be used throughout 2015, with future activities planned in partnership with the rare disease community that will directly aim to improving the diagnostic journey.

Rare Disease Day takes place annually on the last day of February and is coordinated at the international level by the European Organisation for Rare Diseases, with national alliances and patient organisations offering support on a country-by-country basis.

Emmanuel Dulac, head of the company's rare diseases business unit, said: "Shire believes the pathway to improve diagnosis can only be achieved by all stakeholders joining together to find solutions to help ensure accurate diagnosis of rare diseases at an early stage."

Rare diseases are an important area of focus for Shire, which bolstered its capabilities in this field in the last few days with the completion of its takeover of NPS Pharmaceuticals.