EU Public Health and the ERNs
The European Union is committed to improving access to diagnosis, information, and care for patients with rare diseases. This is achieved through promoting national plans, establishing and supporting European Reference Networks, and assisting in the definition and coding of rare diseases. Within this framework, the European Commission focuses on supporting Member States' policies, developing EU-level cooperation and coordination, and enhancing the recognition of rare diseases.
European Reference Networks (ERNs) play a crucial role in facilitating the exchange of expertise and treatment of complex diseases.These virtual networks, which involve healthcare providers across Europe, enable the improvement of patient diagnosis and treatment through advisory boards of medical professionals from various disciplines. ERNs are also active in research, registry development, clinical guideline creation, and knowledge exchange between healthcare professionals and patient organizations.
Since their inception in 2017, ERNs have steadily grown in significance, encompassing nearly 1500 highly specialized facilities across over 300 hospitals in 26 Member States. This success underscores the increasing recognition and impact of ERNs in addressing rare diseases in Europe.
Adaptations based on "European Reference Networks - Rare diseases" by the European Commission, used under CC BY 4.0.