Physicians' Guide to Rare Diseases

Lists symptoms, causes, treatments, and information sources

A disease is defined as rare if it affects fewer than 200,000 Americans. This handbook supplies primary care physicians with basic information on over 700 rare diseases that they normally would not encounter. Each entry provides a short description of the disease, synonyms, signs and symptoms, etiology, epidemiology, treatments (both standard and investigational), and a few bibliographic references. Support groups and other resources where the physician or patient can turn for help are also given. The index provides access by symptom to aid diagnosis. Another useful feature is a directory of orphan drugs (medications developed to treat rare diseases), which lists their uses, FDA approval status, and the address and phone number of the sponsor/contact organization. Physician's Guide . . . is recommended for medical collections and public libraries with consumer health collections.
- Kathleen McQuiston, Philadelphia Coll. of Pharmacy & Science
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.