Indo-US Bridging Rare Summit 2024: Celebrating transformation in India’s healthcare sector
Indo-US Bridging Rare Summit 2024: From November 16 to 18, the Indo-US Bridging RARE Summit 2024 was held in New Delhi, India. Key speakers from the US and India addressed a range of topics during the summit, including diversity, equality, and inclusion for orphan pharmaceuticals, orphan drug clinical trials, and uncommon illnesses.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi and the Indo-US Organization for Rare Diseases convened the summit.
There were many topics during the Summit. These included the digitization of uncommon illnesses, clinical trials for orphan medications, cross-border patient participation, and orphan drug regulatory processes.
Transforming rare illnesses into rarely-seen diseases was the summit’s main goal. Millions of people worldwide are impacted by rare illnesses, yet each patient’s path is often one of uncertainty and loneliness. With cross-border cooperation at the core of the mission, the Summit brought stakeholders together to discuss how to transform isolation into inclusion.
The goal of the summit was to combine resources and expertise in order to hasten the development of cures and therapies that would improve people’s lives everywhere.
The summit emphasized PM Modi’s leadership, which has enabled India to tackle rare illnesses via digital innovation and revolutionary advancements in healthcare. In order to assist patients with rare diseases, the Indian government launched the National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD) in March 2021.
As part of this mission, the Indo US Bridging RARE Summit 2024 created five Nidan Kendras for genetic testing and counseling, identified and promoted 12 Centers of Excellence for rare diseases throughout India, and provided individuals with up to INR 50 lakh in financial assistance for treatment at designated Centers of Excellence (CoEs).
Building relationships with patients and their families is a key component of the Summit’s purpose.
Additionally, it said that India’s sizable and genetically varied populace offers a wealth of information for comprehending different illnesses and creating focused therapies. India can add to a more extensive global health dataset by including patients from various geographical locations and backgrounds.
According to the Summit, India may work with foreign research institutes to exchange ideas and jointly create patient engagement plans that are both internationally applicable and culturally appropriate.
When our healthcare routes come together, India and the US—two countries rich in variety and innovation—offer special opportunity.
Regarding the topic of orphan drug development, it was said that there are several obstacles in the way, including financial and regulatory ones. We can, however, expedite clinical studies and more effectively traverse regulatory procedures by working together internationally.
According to the Summit, tackling rare illnesses is like to charting unexplored land; each new finding illuminates the way ahead, but real success takes perseverance and investigation. Therefore, by banding together, we may overcome the challenges, travel the distance, and arrive at a future in which uncommon illnesses are a challenge that can be conquered rather than a death sentence.
