Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystemic disorder, one of several diseases known as ‘the great imitators,’ because it often mimics or mistaken for other illnesses. SLE symptoms vary widely and appear disappear unpredictably. Diagnosis can thus be elusive, with some patients having unexplained untreated years. Autoimmunity plays major role in the pathogenesis nephritis (LN). LN most...

Background A number of factors play a role in market access of orphan drugs, such as the extent to which an orphan drug meets a medical need; existence of alternative health technologies; disease prevalence; number of orphan drug indications; and added clinical benefit of the orphan drug. How can these factors be taken into account in market access decisions given that there is uncertainty over...

OBJECTIVE To review existing regulations and policies utilised by countries to enable patient access to orphan drugs. METHODS A review of the literature (1998 to 2014) was performed to identify relevant, peer-reviewed articles. Using content analysis, we synthesised regulations and policies for access to orphan drugs by type and by country. RESULTS Fifty seven articles and 35 countries were...