LEXICON
No.59 April 25, 2011

Intractable disease
難病 or 難治性疾患
Specified disease
特定疾患
Orphan drug
希少疾病用医薬品
Orphan medical device
希少疾病用医療用具

There is no clear medical definition for 難病 ( nanbyo or intractable disease) or 難治性疾患. “Incurable diseases”(不治の病) are generally called 難病. In 1972, the platform for the government's measures against intractable diseases defined 難病 as 1) diseases of unknown etiology...

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