Policy Statements & Letters to Policymakers

For decades, NORD has pursued federal and state policies to improve the lives of Americans impacted by rare diseases. This page is updated daily to provide timely information on our policy efforts. Please contact [email protected] if you have questions or need additional information. 

25 Groups Representing Patients and Health Care Professionals Urge U.S. Court of Appeals to Preserve Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ+ Patients

Published: Nov 26, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage

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25 Groups Representing Patients and Health Care Professionals Urge U.S. Court of Appeals to Preserve Nondiscrimination Protections for LGBTQ+ Patients

Published: Nov 26, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage

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NORD signs-on to letter supporting the Clinical Trial Modernization Act (H.R. 8412)

Published: Nov 18, 2024
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science Clinical Trials

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NORD Urges Governor Walz to Approve the Minnesota RDAC FY25 Funding Request

Published: Nov 15, 2024

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NORD Signs on to Letter Supporting End of Year Package to Support Rare Diseases

Published: Nov 14, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science

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NORD Joins Leading Patient Organizations in Letter to HHS on 2026 NBPP

Published: Nov 12, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage

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National Organization for Rare Disorders CEO Pamela Gavin’s Statement on 2024 Election

Published: Nov 6, 2024

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NORD Submits Comments on its Priorities for the FDA Rare Disease Innovation Hub

Published: Oct 31, 2024
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science Protecting FDA Standards for Safe and Effective Drugs

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NORD Joins Over 200 Patient and Provider Organizations in a Letter of Support to Congressional Leadership for the Safe Step Act

Published: Oct 15, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Utilization Management

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NORD joins statement supporting permanent extension of ACA’s eAPTCs

Published: Oct 15, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Affordable Care Act Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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NORD Issues Letter of Support for New Jersey S3533 Regarding Step Therapy Protocols

Published: Oct 9, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Utilization Management

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NORD Sends Letter to New York State Department of Health Commissioner Asking for a Permanent NY RDAC in FY26

Published: Oct 2, 2024
Tagged in: Rare Disease Advisory Councils (RDACs)

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NORD Joins 35 Patient Organizations in Colorado to Request Support for Biomarker Legislation

Published: Sep 30, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies

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NORD Submits Comments to FDA on “Diversity Action Plans to Improve Enrollment of Participants from Underrepresented Populations in Clinical Studies; Guidance for Industry”

Published: Sep 26, 2024
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science Clinical Trials Protecting FDA Standards for Safe and Effective Drugs Rare Disease Clinical Trials

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NORD joins statement on Nevada’s Section 1332 waiver request

Published: Sep 25, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Section 1332 Waivers

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Statement from Pam Gavin, CEO of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), on Unanimous House Passage of the Give Kids a Chance Act

Published: Sep 24, 2024

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NORD joins letter to Congress urging meaningful PBM reform

Published: Sep 18, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage

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NORD Issues Letter of Support for Give Kids A Chance Act and Telehealth Modernization Act

Published: Sep 17, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Telehealth

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NORD Leads Nearly 200 Patient Organizations in a Letter of Support to Senate Leadership for Rare Pediatric PRV Reauthorization

Published: Sep 16, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies

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NORD Leads Nearly 200 Patient Organizations in a Letter of Support to House Leadership for Rare Pediatric PRV Reauthorization

Published: Sep 16, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies

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NORD signs on letter supporting the passage of the PASTEUR Act

Published: Sep 12, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies

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NORD Signs on to Letter Addressing Patient Community Concerns Regarding H.J. Res. 181, Congressional Review Act resolution to stop the Biden-Harris rule limiting access to Association Health Plans (AHPs)

Published: Sep 11, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage

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NORD Joins Patient Organizations in Support of New Jersey A4163 Regarding Insurance Coverage of Biomarker Testing

Published: Sep 10, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Access to Diagnostics Genetic Testing

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NORD Joins Comments to CMS on OPPS Rule

Published: Sep 9, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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NORD Signs-On to One-Pager in Support of Virginia SB376/HB946 Relating to Patient Out-of-Pocket Costs

Published: Sep 9, 2024
Tagged in: Out of Pocket Prescription Drug Costs

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NORD and 35 Patient Organizations Ask Governor Newsom to Sign AB2613 to Create a Rare Disease Advisory Council in California

Published: Aug 30, 2024
Tagged in: Rare Disease Advisory Councils (RDACs)

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NORD Submits Comments to CMS in Response to Negotiation Data Elements ICR

Published: Aug 29, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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NORD Asks California Governor Gavin Newsom to Sign AB2613 to Establish a Rare Disease Advisory Council

Published: Aug 29, 2024
Tagged in: Rare Disease Advisory Councils (RDACs)

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NORD joins letter in support of New York’s 1332 waiver

Published: Aug 23, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Section 1332 Waivers

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NORD Urges the California Senate to Support AB2613 (Zbur) to Create an RDAC

Published: Aug 19, 2024
Tagged in: Rare Disease Advisory Councils (RDACs)

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NORD submits comments on “Platform Technology Designation Program for Drug Development; Guidance for Industry”

Published: Aug 15, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science Protecting FDA Standards for Safe and Effective Drugs

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NORD joins statement urging CFPB to protect consumers’ medical information

Published: Aug 12, 2024

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NORD joins statement urging CMS to reduce barriers to access in Iowa’s Medicaid program

Published: Aug 11, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicaid Section 1115 Waivers Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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NORD submits comments in response to RFI on Cures 2.0

Published: Aug 2, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Access to Diagnostics Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science FDA’s Accelerated Approval Pathway Telehealth

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NORD Signs on to Letter of Support for the Innovation in Pediatric Drugs Act of 2024 (S. 4905)

Published: Aug 2, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Access to Pediatric Therapies

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NORD joins leading patient groups in supporting New York’s Medicaid Redesign Team Waiver

Published: Jul 24, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage

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34 Patient Organizations Join NORD in Urging California Senate Appropriations to Support an RDAC in CA

Published: Jul 19, 2024
Tagged in: Rare Disease Advisory Councils (RDACs)

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NORD Urges the California State Senate to Support AB2613 (Zbur) to Create a Rare Disease Advisory Council

Published: Jul 19, 2024
Tagged in: Rare Disease Advisory Councils (RDACs)

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NORD joins statement supporting Maryland’s 1332 waiver request

Published: Jul 9, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Affordable Care Act Section 1332 Waivers

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NORD Submits Comments to CMS on Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Draft Guidance

Published: Jul 2, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Federal Drug Pricing Legislation in the 116th Congress Medicare, Medicaid, and Private Health Insurance Coverage Out of Pocket Prescription Drug Costs

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NORD Sends a Letter of Support to Members the House Energy and Commerce Committee to Vote Yes to Advance Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 3433, Give Kids a Chance Act, which includes key provisions of H.R.7384, Creating Hope Reauthorization Act, H.R. 7383, Retaining Access and Restoring Exclusivity (RARE) Act, and H.R. 6664, Innovation for Pediatric Drugs Act

Published: Jun 26, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies

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NORD Leads Nearly 200 Patient Advocacy Organizations In a Letter of Support to Reauthorize Rare Disease Pediatric Review Voucher (PRV) Program

Published: Jun 24, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies

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NORD Responds to Letter of False Accusations Sent to Our Patient Advocacy Members

Published: Jun 20, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage

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NORD Submits Comments on Docket No. FDA-2023-D-5470 for “Real-World Evidence: Considerations Regarding Non- Interventional Studies for Drug and Biological Products”

Published: Jun 17, 2024
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science

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NORD Supports NCATS Alliance in Recommendation that Congress Allocate $51.303B for the NIH and $1.194B for the NCATS for Fiscal Year 2025 Appropriations

Published: Jun 13, 2024

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NORD Joins 24 Patient and Provider Groups in a Statement Regarding the Supreme Court’s Decision in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA

Published: Jun 13, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Protecting FDA Standards for Safe and Effective Drugs

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NORD Signs on to Letter Offering Recommendations for Patient Priorities for the 2026 Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters

Published: Jun 7, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Affordable Medicines Access to Affordable, Adequate Coverage Affordable Care Act

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NORD & 16 Patient Organizations Ask Speaker Carl Heastie and Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for a Permanent NY RDAC (A10292-A/S9724)

Published: May 31, 2024
Tagged in: Rare Disease Advisory Councils (RDACs)

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NORD joins 122 other organizations in advocating for increased funding for Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP)

Published: May 30, 2024
Tagged in: Advancing Rare Disease Research and Regulatory Science

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NORD Supports Pennsylvania House Bill 1754 Providing Coverage for Biomarker Testing

Published: May 29, 2024
Tagged in: Access to Diagnostics Access to Innovative Medicines and Therapies Gene Therapies Genetic Testing

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