Orphan drug
Orphan drug
Orphan drug (/ˈɔːrfən drʌɡ/) is a pharmaceutical agent that has been developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition, the condition itself being referred to as an orphan disease.
Etymology
The term "orphan drug" originates from pharmaceutical drugs that were like "orphans" because they were ignored by the pharmaceutical industry as they were not considered profitable. The term was coined in the late 20th century.
Definition
An orphan drug is a medicinal product developed specifically to treat rare diseases. These diseases are often so rare that a pharmaceutical company does not expect to recover the costs of developing and marketing a treatment drug. This makes the production of such drugs less attractive for pharmaceutical companies as the market for the drug is significantly smaller, leading to less potential for profit.
Related Terms
- Orphan Disease: A disease that has not been adopted by the pharmaceutical industry because it provides little financial incentive for the private sector to make and market new medications to treat or prevent it.
- Pharmaceutical Industry: The commercial industry of discovering, producing, innovating, and marketing drugs for use as medications.
- Rare Disease: A disease that affects a small percentage of the population. Most rare diseases are genetic, and thus are present throughout the person's entire life, even if symptoms do not immediately appear.
Legislation
In order to encourage the development and production of orphan drugs, many countries have implemented legislation granting official orphan status to certain drugs and conditions. This often includes tax incentives and extended exclusivity rights. The Orphan Drug Act of 1983 in the United States is one such example.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Orphan drug
- Wikipedia's article - Orphan drug
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