Jo Balfour
Managing Director, Cambridge Rare Disease Network (CRDN)
Rebecca Stewart
CEO, RARE Revolution Magazine
Dr Lucy McKay
CEO of Medics4RareDiseases
Contrary to the isolation of lockdown, a vibrant and vital new collaboration emerged. Action for Rare Disease Empowerment (ARDEnt) is a cross-sector coalition of 30 UK-based experts involved in rare diseases.
Concerned at the impact of COVID-19 on those affected by rare diseases, three leaders replaced isolation with collaboration. The ARDEnt team was assembled by Dr Lucy McKay – CEO of Medics4RareDiseases, Jo Balfour – Managing Director of Cambridge Rare Disease Network and Rebecca Stewart – CEO of Rare Revolution Magazine, building an expert cross sector group; from patient advocacy professionals, data-managers, academics, healthcare and industry.
ARDEnt is united in their goal to bring benefit. By exploring how people affected by rare conditions may have been disproportionately negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they hope to plan for a better response to future crises and improve the rare disease patient journey, post COVID-19.
They hope to plan for a better response to future crises and improve the rare disease patient journey, post COVID-19.
The team’s investigations illuminate examples of creative adaptability that could be utilised more widely in future. A report outlining findings and recommendations from ARDEnt’s ‘Making the Unseen Seen’ project will be shared with government in hope of influencing the UK Rare Disease Strategy 2020 creation and implementation.
Prolonging the ‘diagnostic odyssey’
Rare disease diagnosis is long and arduous, averaging over five years. Primary care’s one-problem-at-a-time and secondary care’s one-body-system-at-a-time approaches are rarely compatible with these complex diseases. Patients are bounced in a game of medical ping-pong between specialists until a someone looks holistically and takes charge.
75% of rare diseases start in childhood and ~30% of those with a rare disease die before their fifth birthday.
With health services being stripped back as a response to the pandemic, the former status quo will potentially be more desirable than the ‘new normal’ for rare disease diagnosis. ARDEnt is examining how the pandemic has exacerbated the problem of diagnostic delay. Something we can ill afford when ~75% of rare diseases start in childhood and ~30% of those with a rare disease die before their fifth birthday.
However, opportunities have also opened up because of the pandemic, such as reduced communication barriers between specialties and more information sharing. ARDEnt wants to harness these to change the outlook for rare diagnosis.
Confusion, cancellation, and silver linings for coordination of care
For patients with rare diseases, the pandemic brought anxious waits for confirmation of their risk level and shielding letters, followed by cancellation of vital services. Essential in-patient treatments, physiotherapy, day care and home care support were halted.
Additionally, the Coronavirus Act suspended legal duties to provide support for children with special educational needs and families of children with rare conditions found themselves grappling with home schooling and care needs alone.
As health, social care and education services begin to return to the “new normal” ARDEnt are finding some services, vital to the wellbeing of families and patients affected by rare disease, facing delays and no clear directives for restarting.
Amidst the challenges there are opportunities. For those with Autism Spectrum Disorders, the slower pace of life and reduced crowds have been beneficial. Also, the overnight adoption of telemedicine has demonstrated its benefits and limitations for the future of healthcare.
Entering a new virtual reality
Patient groups have long challenged the traditional drug development timeline and methods that don’t work well for rare disease patients who are, often few, widely spread and are running out of time with progressive diseases.
ARDEnt’s investigations show that COVID-19 has further damaged a fragile system with research studies, clinical trials and drug development projects postponed or cancelled. But there is hope.
Patient groups have long challenged the traditional drug development timeline and methods that don’t work well for rare disease patients.
Could new methods translate into more effective, efficient outcomes allowing for a continuation of services in a future crisis?
Remote signing of consent forms and remote audits: monitoring health through wearables; telehealth; deploying specialist nurses to collect bloods; and posting oral drugs – this pandemic has led to an almost overnight digital health revolution and a rethinking of how we can develop drugs when there is a time imperative. A precedent has been set and it is imperative these lessons are highlighted and adopted for the benefit of rare diseases.
