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‹ Tue · 26 May 2026
Underserved or high-risk populations

Rare disease patients protection: theoretical discussion and institutional construction of orphan drug designation in China.

China's orphan drug reforms could expand access for millions of rare disease patients who currently lack treatment options and regulatory pathways.

This policy paper in Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases examines the theoretical basis and institutional structure of orphan drug designation in China. It proposes regulatory reforms to better protect the approximately 20 million rare disease patients in China who face high unmet medical need.

What the study was

Study design
Policy analysis / review
Population
Rare disease patients in China; policy context
Category
Public Health
Maturity
Exploratory
Journal
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases

Why it surfaced

Policy analysis relevant to rare disease access in a high-burden setting (China); important for rare disease pipeline at population scale.

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