§ 25-1-1501 — Legislative declaration

(1) The general assembly finds and
declares that:

(a) A rare disease, sometimes called an orphan disease, is a disease that
affects fewer than two hundred thousand people in the United States;

(b) There are seven thousand known rare diseases affecting approximately
thirty million adults and children in the United States;

(c) While the exact cause for many rare diseases remains unknown, many
rare diseases are genetic in origin and can be linked to mutations in a single gene or
in multiple genes, which can be passed down from generation to generation;

(d) People with rare diseases face many challenges, including delays in
obtaining a diagnosis, misdiagnosis, shortages of medical specialists who can
provide treatment, and lack of affordable access to therapies and medication used
to treat rare diseases; and

(e) A Colorado rare disease advisory council composed of qualified
professionals and people living with rare diseases could educate medical
professionals, government agencies, legislators, and the public about rare diseases
as an important public health issue and encourage research for the development of
new treatments for rare diseases.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2022: Entire part added, (SB 22-186), ch. 488, p. 3534, � 1, effective August 10.