LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CHI-California Healthcare Institute, a non-profit public policy research organization, applauds the state Assembly’s proclamation of Feb. 28, as Rare Disease Day. This day helps bring awareness of the biomedical companies that are dedicated to researching and developing treatments for patients suffering from rare diseases. A rare disease is defined as a condition that affects fewer than 200,000 patients. Because populations for rare diseases are small and the cost to develop a drug and bring it through clinical trials can be hundreds of millions of dollars, few companies can invest in creating these needed therapies. Additionally, the biggest obstacle to finding cures for rare diseases is their scarcity—so few people are affected that it is difficult to gather enough patients for clinical trials.
