Washington, D.C., November 8, 2017 — Peter Saltonstall, President and CEO of the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD), the leading independent nonprofit organization representing the 30 million Americans with rare diseases, issued the following statement today in support of Alex Azar’s nomination for Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS):
“DHHS is critical to the health and social services needs of the patient community and requires a Secretary who can intelligently and perceptively manage the large and diverse set of issues the Department faces. In our view, Alex Azar brings superior credentials for this job, based on his extensive management experiences and deep understanding of our healthcare system. He understands the needs of the patient community and particularly the challenges of the rare disease community and the urgency of orphan drug development.
While we inevitably will discuss and debate policies that affect the rare disease community, what we value most is a Secretary who will listen carefully and decide thoughtfully. Alex Azar meets this test. We look forward to the opportunity to work with him if he is confirmed by the Senate.”