November 9th, 2009

The Commission’s Decision to create the EU Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases should be published between Mid and End November 2009.

The creation of this Committee is one of the well expected concrete implementing measures of the adoption of the Commission Communication on Rare Diseases in November 2008. The publication of the decision was already expected since July 2009, however other priorities like the EU strategy to address the challenges of the H1N1 flu epidemic has postponed it to the Fall. The Decision has been adopted internally and is now being translated in the 22 languages. When the translation will be completed, the official publication will be possible.

The EU Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases (CERD) will be composed of 51 members. The Committee will be composed of 1 representative from each 27 Member States appointed by their governments and 25 representatives appointed by the Commission: 4 patient representatives, 4 industry representatives, 9 experts representatives of projects funded by DG SanCo including representatives of the European Reference Networks, 6 experts representatives of projects funded by DG Research, 1 representative from the European Centre for Disease Control. All 51 members will have alternates. As soon as the Decision will be published, a Call for Expression of Interest will be issued by the Commission to appoint the the representatives to be appointed by the Commission.

The first meeting of the EU Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases (CERD) is foreseen for End February 2010 / Early March 2010, around Rare Disease Day, in Brussels.

Related link: European Commission Communication on Rare Disease

About the author

Chief Executive Officer, EURORDIS (Rare Diseases Europe)

Yann Le Cam is a patients’ association advocate who has dedicated 25 years of professional and personal commitment to health and medical research non governmental organisations in France, Europe and the United States in the fields of cancer, HIV/AIDS and rare diseases. He has three daughters, the eldest of whom has cystic fibrosis. Yann is one of the founders of EURORDIS in 1996-1997 and its Chief Executive Officer since 2002. He is the Vice Chairman of the EU Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases since 2011. He was one of the first patient representatives appointed to the Committee for Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP) at the European Drug Agency (EMA) where he served 9 years and was its Vice Chairman for 6 years. He served on the Management Board and Executive Committee of the French HTA agency ANAES now called HAS for 5 years, on the DIA Advisory Committee Europe for 3 years, on the EPPOSI Board for 6 years. Yann is one of the founding members of the International Alliance of Patients Organisations (IAPO).

5 comments for “The Commission’s Decision to create the EU Committee of Experts on Rare Diseases should be published between Mid and End November 2009.”

  1. Elisabeth Bäckman

    Jag önskar lämna ett inlägg i debatten om sällsynta sjukdomar. Jag är en 54 årig kvinna. Blev sjuk 2003. Akut transport i ambulans till stadens lilla sjukhus. Jag hade drabbats av akut orkeslöshet med påföljande hjärtrusning. Då attacken var av övergående natur ingen åtgärd förutom syrgas.
    En episod som sedermera skulle eskalera i sitt omfång och innefatta dagliga anfall. Symptomen eskalerade allteftersom att innefatta yrsel, arytmier samt dödsångest i samband med attackerna.
    Diagnoser som ställts och sedan avfärdats har avlöpt i rask takt under åren som följt. Undersökningar som gjorts och tom skadat mig har senare visat sig vara helt obefogade.
    År 2007 upptäcks av en tillfällighet (första utvidgade rötgen) defekten scimitars syndrom.
    Jag får själv som patient leta information. Läkarna på mitt lilla sjukhus “tror” inte defekten har någon påverkan på mig. Jag betecknas istället lida av panikångest. Detta trots att jag vid enstaka tillfälle gått ned i syresättning vid miktion, vilket inte är en indigator på ångest. Man anser det inte vara befogat att remittera mig till specialist inom området trots min enträgna begäran.
    Efter två år av letande hittar jag så GUCH i Göteborg. Vid min första tel.kontakt uppmanas jag att begära remiss av min läkare med denna enhet som referens. Vi är nu framme vid år 2009.
    Min doktor är idag Docent Peter Eriksson.
    En trygg doktor som är i ett initialt skede att börja utreda mig.

    Jag känner inte trygghet i vården, snarare fobí för den. Alla dessa år av rädsla och obefintlig adekvat vård har lett till att jag förändrats som person. Hela min livssituation har bestått av en ständig strävan att få gehör.
    Svenska sjukförsäkringssystemet samt vården avfärdar och bedömer utifrån system som riktar sig till en norm. Som tillhörande en mycket sällsynt grupp tas mina behov aldrig på allvar. En av aspekterna som delgivits mig är att beprövade forkningsresultat skall finnas vid bedömningar. I mitt fall har detta genererat både stora inkomstförluster samt en avsevärt sämre livssituation än vore önskvärt. För mig är det bara att acceptera.
    Det Svenska samhället är inte berett att göra situationen bättre av EU-Rekommendationer. För att jag skall få livskvalitet krävs EU-Direktiv.
    Med Vänlig Hälsning Elisabeth Bäckman.

  2. Will this “Experts on Rare Diseases” list be available for the common lay person? If so, on the internet? Please keep us informed !!!

  3. This expert i first recently met. He works at Sahlgrenska/ Östra , GUCH, Sweden.

    I dont know how they work. The best way to find out is for you to call them and ask. Check internet.

    Best regards Elisabeth.

    Ps. I only know that they have a very good reputation.

  4. Elizabeth Lemos Silveira

    I am medical geneticist and work in public health in Brazil. I would like learn with your group about access to treat in rare disease. In Brazil, “the unique sistem of health _SUS) ” did not have one found for drugs of this group of disease and the information of this products is going to patient family how the drugs is safe and I think that is not true. Then, how we have a little recurses from treatment that not is only drugs treatment, I need help to help ours patients.
    Sincerely
    Elizabeth

  5. escreva o seu comentário aqui …

    Elizabeth ,tambem sou do Brasil e gostaria muito de manter contato com vc ,tenho um filho com Homocistinuria .Meu email e:simonearede@gmail.com

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