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news.At a conference organised in the European Parliament, researchers, scientists, doctors, representatives of patient organisations and pharmaceutical companies, regional, national and EU decision-makers have expressed their support for a united approach to face challenges caused by rare neurological diseases.
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During the conference – ‘Rare neurological diseases of childhood,’ the participants endorsed a ‘Declaration of Principles’ launching a new initiative to increase research into rare neurological diseases and improve their early diagnosis and treatment.
This decision follows the recent announcement by the European Commission, according to which the commission will earmark more than €100m for research and innovation on rare diseases in 2011 as part of the 7th Framework Programme for research.
Experts in the conference have come into an agreement that rare diseases affecting children can be used as models for the treatment of adult and more common brain diseases.
Studying the neurological disorders affecting the children may help the scientists to develop new and unique therapies for adult disorders such as parkinson and Alzheimer siseases.
Member of the European Parliament Amalia Sartori said the event has shown that more efforts need to be done to better support research projects on rare diseases, particularly neurological ones.
According to World Health Organisation, an estimated one in every 10 people will suffer from severe and sometimes rare neurological disease during their lifetime.
Brain disease, estimated to be responsible for 35% of total disease burden in Europe, is associated with an overall cost of €386bn.