Are Orphan Drugs Getting Too Much Attention By Payers And Policymakers?

The 1984 Orphan Drug Law has proven to be extraordinarily successful. In the decade before it passed, only 10 industry-sponsored orphan disease drugs had been brought to market. Since 1983, more than 500 orphan drug products have been approved. And, in 2017, 39% of the new drugs and biologics approved by the FDA were orphans.