Template talk:Rare diseases

Ideas and Suggestions for Improving the "Rare diseases" Template

This page is for discussing ideas, suggestions, and improvements to the {{Rare diseases}} template. The {{Rare diseases}} template is used to mark articles about rare diseases as stubs, signaling that these articles need further expansion to meet Wikipedia's content standards.

Purpose of the Template

The {{Rare diseases}} template is applied to articles about rare diseases, which may include:

• Genetic disorders
• Metabolic diseases
• Autoimmune conditions
• Rare infections and tropical diseases
• Rare cancers and other uncommon health conditions

The goal of this template is to encourage editors to improve articles related to rare diseases, helping them to provide more comprehensive information about the condition, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options.

Possible Improvements to the Template

Here are some ideas to improve the {{Rare diseases}} template:

• Expand Specific Categories: To help organize rare disease-related articles more effectively, we could include parameters that specify the type or category of the disease. For example:
• `category` (e.g., "genetic disorder", "metabolic disease", "autoimmune disorder", "infectious disease", "rare cancer", etc.)
• `type` (e.g., "neurodegenerative", "cardiovascular", "hematological", etc.)

• Include Symptoms and Causes: Rare disease articles often lack detailed information about symptoms or causes. We could add a field for contributors to explicitly include:
• Symptoms (e.g., onset, progression, and impact on quality of life)
• Known causes (e.g., genetic mutations, environmental factors, or infectious agents)

• Visual Enhancements: Adding a more visually distinctive icon (e.g., a ribbon, rare disease symbol, or illustration) could help make the stub template more noticeable and emphasize the subject matter.

• Link to Related Resources: Consider adding links to relevant disease registries, such as:
• [Orphanet](https://www.orpha.net/)
• [Genetics Home Reference](https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/)
• [National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)](https://rarediseases.org/)

This can help direct readers and contributors to authoritative resources for rare diseases.

Suggestions for Improving Rare Disease Articles

Here are some ideas to help expand rare disease articles, moving them beyond stub status:

• Disease Description: Provide a clear, concise description of the disease, including:
• The disease's name (e.g., official name and any alternate names or synonyms)
• A summary of its prevalence (e.g., how rare is it? How many people are affected globally?)
• Overview of the disease’s classification (e.g., genetic, metabolic, autoimmune, etc.)

• Symptoms: Articles on rare diseases often lack detailed symptom descriptions. Key information includes:
• Common symptoms, signs, and how they affect the patient's quality of life
• Age of onset (e.g., does it occur in infancy, childhood, or adulthood?)
• Progression of the disease (e.g., is it progressive or does it stabilize over time?)

• Causes and Risk Factors: For many rare diseases, the causes are not well understood, but contributors can add:
• Known genetic causes (e.g., mutations in specific genes, chromosomal abnormalities)
• Environmental or external factors that may play a role (e.g., infections, toxins, lifestyle factors)
• Known risk factors (e.g., family history, ethnicity, gender)

• Diagnosis: Rare disease articles often need more information on how the condition is diagnosed. Consider adding:
• Diagnostic criteria or clinical features used to identify the disease
• Genetic tests, biomarkers, imaging studies, and other diagnostic tools used
• Differential diagnosis (how to distinguish the disease from other similar conditions)

• Treatment Options: Many rare diseases lack approved treatments, but if there are treatments available, articles should include:
• Approved therapies (e.g., medications, enzyme replacements, surgery)
• Experimental or investigational treatments (e.g., clinical trials, gene therapy)
• Symptom management and palliative care options

• Prognosis: Discuss the long-term outlook for individuals with the disease:
• Survival rates (if available)
• Long-term complications or comorbidities
• Impact on quality of life

• Research and Clinical Trials: Add information about ongoing research into the disease, such as:
• Clinical trials (with links to databases such as [ClinicalTrials.gov](https://clinicaltrials.gov/))
• Research findings and any advances in understanding the disease's mechanisms
• Emerging treatments or potential cures

• Support and Resources: Rare diseases often have patient organizations, support groups, and advocacy networks. It’s helpful to add:
• Links to organizations like NORD, Orphanet, or disease-specific advocacy groups
• Information on financial or social support for patients and families

• References and Citations: Ensure articles include references to authoritative and reliable sources, such as:
• Peer-reviewed journals and articles
• Clinical guidelines and publications by medical institutions or organizations
• Government and public health resources (e.g., NIH, CDC, WHO)

Section for Contributors

If you're interested in contributing to the expansion of rare disease articles, consider the following steps:

1. Identify rare disease stubs from the and select one to improve.
2. Add reliable information on the disease's causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
3. Ensure the article is well-cited by adding references to medical journals, clinical studies, or disease registries.
4. Link to related rare diseases or topics to provide context and help users find more relevant information.

Related Templates

There are related templates for more specific types of rare diseases that might be helpful:

• {{Genetic disorder-stub}} – For articles focused specifically on rare genetic diseases.
• {{Metabolic disorder-stub}} – For articles focused on rare metabolic diseases.
• {{Neurological disorder-stub}} – For rare neurological diseases.
• {{Orphan drug-stub}} – For articles about orphan drugs used to treat rare diseases.
• {{Autoimmune disease-stub}} – For articles about rare autoimmune disorders.

Discussions and Feedback

Please feel free to add any comments or suggestions about improving the {{Rare diseases}} template or expanding rare disease-related articles.

---

This page is for discussing the {{Rare diseases}} template.