Solving the puzzle of rare diseases through international collaboration

Shortening the diagnostic journey and providing effective treatments are key to a longer and healthier life for patients. These are just a few of the major milestones in rare disease research spearheaded by the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC), a joint initiative by the European Commission and the US National Institutes of Health launched in 2011. As the largest consortium in rare diseases research in the world today, with close to 60 organizations, the IRDiRC has taken international rare disease collaboration to new heights.