News archive - February 2011

24 February 2011
Rare Disease Day 2011

Monday 28th February is Rare Disease Day for 2011.

Of babies born in the UK, about one in: 

• 2,000   has a sickle cell disease (SCD)
• 2,500   has cystic fibrosis (CF)
• 4,000   has congenital hypothyroidism (CHT)
• 10,000 has medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD)
• 10,000 has phenylketonuria (PKU)

Newborn blood spot screening identifies babies who may have rare but serious conditions.

Most babies screened will not have any of the conditions, but for the small number that do, the benefits are enormous.

To read more about Rare Disease Day 2011 - please visit the official website www.rarediseaseday.org