Welcome to the official rare disease educational website developed by The National Organization for Rare Disorders. By raising awareness of rare diseases among physicians, clinicians and other medical professionals, NORD strives to help patients obtain earlier diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Learn more >
A rare disease is one that affects fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time.
According to the National Institutes of Health, there are between 6,000 and 7,000 rare diseases affecting from 25 to 30 million Americans.
Approximately 50% of the people affected by rare diseases are children.
Since 1983, more than 2,200 rare disease treatments have entered the research pipeline and more than 360 have been approved for marketing.
Support The Guides
Ways to Support the Guides
These guides are made possible by educational grants from patient organizations, foundations, and companies. NORD is solely responsible for the content.
Sponsor a Guide
Individuals or organizations interested in funding the creation of a guide on a particular topic may write to: nordphysicianguides@rarediseases.org.
Contribute Content to a Guide
Medical experts who would like to contribute information for possible inclusion in an existing Physician Guide may write to nordphysicianguides@rarediseases.org.
Donate to the Project
Individuals or organizations who would like to make restricted donations in support of this educational endeavor may contact NORD at (203) 744-0100 and specify that their donations are for the NORD Online Physician Guide project.
How to Partner With NORD to Create a Guide
When a grant is received to create a guide on a particular topic, NORD identifies an appropriate medical expert and works with him or her to develop the content. The initial draft then goes through a process of review before being posted on this site. In addition to the basic text, it is possible to include other features such as various graphic elements. When a new guide is posted, NORD will conduct outreach to appropriate audiences to announce the new offering.