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An estimated 3.5%-5.9% of the global population live with rare diseases, and approximately 80% of these diseases have a genetic cause. Rare genetic diseases are difficult to diagnose, with some affected individuals experiencing diagnostic delays of 5-30 years. Next-generation sequencing has improved clinical diagnostic rates to 33%-48%. In a majority of cases, novel variants potentially causing the disease are discovered.
The diagnostic odyssey for people living with rare diseases (PLWRD) is often prolonged for myriad reasons including an initial failure to consider rare disease and challenges to systemically and systematically identifying and tracking undiagnosed diseases across the diagnostic journey.
Recently, researchers from The Kids Research Institute Australia, Perth Children’s Hospital and The University of Western Australia contributed to three major international publications, collectively reinforcing rare diseases as a critical, community-wide health priority.
The Kids Research Institute Australia is proud to be a part of the Rare Care Comprehensive Centre (RCCC) for children with rare and undiagnosed disease, made possible thanks to one of Western Australia’s biggest philanthropic gifts.
Research that screens novel genetic variants identified in disease will be fast-tracked by a funding boost, offering new hope of an early diagnosis for families of children with a rare or undiagnosed genetic disease.
One of the researchers who helped crack the code of 10-year-old Northam girl Charlotte Patterson’s incredibly rare disease has received State Government funding that will allow her to use the same methods to rapidly assess the cases of hundreds more patients living with undiagnosed disease.