Rare diseases in Malaysia

TODAY (Feb 29) marks the 9th International Rare Disease Day with the slogan “Join us in making the voice of rare diseases heard”.

The slogan reflects the small voice for rare diseases, which is defined as any disease that affects a small percentage of the population. According to the European Society of Pediatric Oncology, 75% of rare diseases affect children, of whom 30% die before reaching their fifth birthday.