The Directorate-General for Research and Innovation of the EC has issued a publication focussing on a group of diseases that are called ‘rare’ but actually affect over 30 million Europeans. IMPROvED is featured as one of the projects under “Cardiovascular, pulmonological and haematological disorders” on page 35 of this interesting and informative booklet. This section contains a selection of projects funded by the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7; 2007–13) and the Second Programme of Community Action in the Field of Health (Health Programme; 2008–13).
Rare diseases are a challenge too big for any country or world region to master alone. This is why the European Commission, together with various national and international partners, initiated the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC). It is the biggest collective rare diseases research effort which the world has ever seen. Its key objective is to deliver, by 2020, 200 new therapies for rare diseases and the means to diagnose most of them.
“We are committed to continue funding top quality research in rare diseases to the benefit of patients in Europe and around the world. Through IRDiRC, we will continue to strengthen the cooperation with our national and international partners.”
Robert-Jan Smits, Director-General, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation.