The media campaign “Like All of Us”
aims to inform the public about rare diseases by answering the most frequently asked questions and by telling personal stories of the people affected by them.
What are rare diseases? Those are diseases that affect less than 1 in 2 000 people. It is estimated that about 6% of the Bulgarian population suffer from rare diseases. With the advancement of medicine and innovative technologies, the opportunities for early diagnosis and treatment of people affected by rare diseases are significantly increased, which helps them living a fulfilling life, create families and have successful personal and professional realization in the society.
In Bulgaria there are only 22 people with Gaucher disease – a hereditary disease in which the body cannot break down the lipid glucocerebroside. In patients, there is an accumulation of the lipid in the liver, spleen, bone marrow and nervous system, which interferes with their normal functioning. The research work of many scientists around the world has led to the creation of enzyme replacement therapy, as a result of which people with Gaucher disease can have now an independent and fulfilling life. Take a look at the story of one patient with Gaucher disease in Bulgaria, Christian Dimitrov and find out more about this rare disease.
Thalassemia is a hereditary disease that affects hemoglobin synthesis. Hemoglobin is a part of the red blood cells and its main function is to carry oxygen to the body. A person with this disease produces “defective” hemoglobin, which makes red blood cells (erythrocytes) unstable and they are destroyed faster than usual. Women with the heavier forms of thalassemia have not been able to have children until recently due to the damage of the disease to the body. Now, thanks to the development of medicine, women with this disease can become pregnant and have healthy children. Learn about the story of Maria Ermakova from Stara Zagora, who was diagnosed with beta-thalassemia major, but that did not stop her from dreaming and starting a family.
Haemophilia is a disease that is characterized with impaired blood clotting. Due to the lack of a blood clotting factor, it takes longer for the bleedings to stop, which makes even the slightest scratches or injuries dangerous. This rare disease mainly affects men with a frequency of 1 in every 5 000. Innovations in medical science have led to the creation of treatments that allow patients to live actively and even exercise. Find out more about haemophilia from the story of Dimitar Petrov and Boyan Boyanov, who is also one of the first diagnosed patients in Bulgaria.
The media campaign “Like All of Us” is organized by the Institute for Rare Diseases, the National Alliance of People with Rare Diseases and the Association of the Research-Based Pharmaceutical Manufacturers in Bulgaria (ARPharM). For more information: www.raredis.org
A survey, organized by the working group Research and Science of the European Reference Network on rare endocrine conditions (Endo-ERN) is being conducted. The aim of this survey is to gain the views and experiences of people living with rare endocrine disorders about the research they think should be prioritized related to their disease within European countries. Patients, parents, and relatives can participate in this study by following this 
The National Alliance of People with Rare Diseases is organizing a training seminar on “Self-Help for Improving the Quality of Life of People with Rare Diseases and Their Families”. The event will be held on March 28-29, 2020, at “Rusalka” Hotel, Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Some of the topics, which will be discussed are going to be focused on the biggest problems such as “Stress from diagnosis and its effect on the immune system”, “Psychophysical practices for strength, health and immunity” and many other interesting discussions. The event will include fascinating speakers such as Dr. Maria Ivanovska, Marin Minchev and many others. For more information click 
Since its inception 20 years ago, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has established itself as a landmark in innovative healthcare technologies and the access to them. Indicative of the enormous interest in the experience of this organization is the existence of a special department for international cooperation, whose aim is to provide consultancy and expertise. Regulatory agencies around the world are closely following NICE’s decisions. A positive or negative opinion can predetermine patient access and clinical practice far beyond the UK. Almost at the very center of innovation in medicine and healthcare, in 2019 NICE announced that it would review and update its methodology for evaluating health technologies. For more information click 
Alkaptonuria (AKU) is an ultrarare autosomal recessive disorder (MIM 203500) that is caused byby a complex set of mutations in homogentisate 1,2-dioxygenasegene and consequent accumulation of homogentisic acid (HGA), causing a significant protein oxidation. A secondary form of amyloidosis was identified in AKU and related to high circulating serum amyloid A (SAA) levels, which are linked with inflammation and oxidative stress and might contribute to disease progression and patients’ poor quality of life. Recently, we reported that inflammatory markers (SAA and chitotriosidase) and oxidative stress markers (protein thiolation index) might be disease activity markers in AKU. Thanks to an international network, we collected genotypic, phenotypic, and clinical data from more than 200 patients with AKU. These data are currently stored in our AKU database, named ApreciseKUre. In this work, we developed an algorithm able to make predictions about the oxidative status trend of each patient with AKU based on 55 predictors, namely circulating HGA, body mass index, total cholesterol, SAA, and chitotriosidase. For more information click 
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with progressive deterioration of both upper and lower motor neuron functions. It is a rare disease with one study demonstrating a prevalence of 3.9 cases per 100,000 in the USA in the year 2010-2011. It is a fatal disease with most of the deaths resulting from respiratory failure. There is no cure of this illness with some evidence supporting an improved median survival by two to three months with Riluzole (one of the agents used for treatment). Not much is known about the possible etiologies of ALS, a few studies have shown a possible likely association of ALS with various malignancies. Here we present an interesting case of a 35-year-old female with a diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukemia for seven years presented with a sub-acute decline in her motor function. For more information click 
Diagnostic Exome Sequencing yields a single genetic diagnosis in approximately 30% of cases, and according to recent studies the prevalence of identifying two genetic conditions in a single individual ranges between 4.6 and 7%. We present a patient diagnosed with three different rare conditions, each explained by a pathogenic mutation in a different gene. A 17 year old female was evaluated for history of motor and speech delay, scoliosis, distinctive craniofacial features and dry skin in the Department of Clinical Genomics at Mayo Clinic. Previous diagnostic testing was unrevealing including biochemical testing, echocardiogram, abdominal ultrasound and electroencephalogram. For more information click 
Peripheral neuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, monoclonal protein and skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a rare disease, and only in a minority of cases, causes an impairment of kidney function. Here, we describe a case of a 55-year-old man with a history of POEMS syndrome who presented with acute kidney injury following a routine blood test. On further investigation, a relapse in POEMS syndrome was diagnosed, uniquely isolated to renal involvement. For more information click 
The European commission published a document with the last uptate of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and Specific criteria for the ERNs call for membership. FAQ include the most common questions like: what is an ERN; what is the role of the Board of MS; are only rare diseases included in the scope of ERNs; How to apply to become a member of an ERNs; how will applications be assessed; what does the conflict of interest policy cover and many more. For more information click