Three new national plans for rare diseases in the world :

They all are in line with the recent adoption of the World Health Assembly (WHA)’s Resolution on Rare Diseases, which recognises the global challenges faced by PLWRD. (© Orphanews 2025.10.06)

Malaysia

This is the nation’s first ever strategy for rare diseases. It aims to address critical gaps and strengthen the delivery of comprehensive healthcare solutions for PLWRD in Malaysia. The policy defines a disease as rare if it affects fewer than 1 in 4,000 people, and identifies 9 key pillars of action to improve rare disease care, diagnosis and awareness

Ireland

The Irish Department of Health unveiled their National Rare Disease Strategy 2025-2030. This strategy builds on the foundation of the previous National Rare Diseases Plan for Ireland 2014-2018, and addresses issues encountered by PLWRD throughout all stages of life. The result of multi-stakeholder collaboration between patients, clinicians, researchers, and government representatives, the strategy puts forward 11 recommendations to reinforce rare disease care and awareness in Ireland.

Luxembourg

The Ministry of Health adopted the country’s second national plan for rare diseases, the “Plan National Maladies Rares Luxembourg” 2025-2029 (PNMRL). This plan represents a continuation of the first national plan, which was in place from 2018 to 2023. It aims to promote a reinforced, coordinated healthcare system for PLWRD in Luxembourg. It takes a holistic, person-centred approach to the challenges facing the rare disease community across five thematic areas.