The first European Day dedicated to rare diseases is scheduled for tomorrow. The promoters named it "A rare day for very special people". The organization of events linked with it, both the European and national ones, is entrusted to Eurordis (European Organisation for Rare Diseases, www.eurordis.org) and the respective national Federations. However, the central exhibition is taking place in the afternoon of 4 March, at the EU parliament’s hemicycle, in Brussels, with a hearing on these diseases, which are really a lot (from esophageal achalasia to the Zwahlen syndrome), and which afflict hundreds of thousands of Europeans. "The purpose of the meeting said Belgian MEP Frédérique Ries, entrusted with setting up the hearing, – is to increase the knowledge of rare diseases, spreading information on these pathologies and the future report by the Commission". At present, the Executive is actually working on a document which should lay the foundations for "the future strategy of the community action in the field of rare diseases, in relation to health assistance, research and therapies". The report "will be submitted to the Council of the 27 member States and to the EU parliament in June, to be voted in November 2008". A special site is dedicated to this day: www.rarediseaseday.org.
