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Levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) accurately predicted hypoparathyroidism-related calcium deficiency following surgery to remove the thyroid gland, a study reported.  A PTH cut-off value was established to identify those at risk, who were started on calcium and vitamin D supplements. Such prompt treatment eased symptoms…

The EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases is accepting applications for a scholarship program that aims to help adults with a rare disease pursue personal goals through training and education. For a second year, the #RAREis Scholarship Fund — supported by Horizon Therapeutics – will award 35 one-time scholarships, each…

People who develop chronic hypoparathyroidism following surgery to remove the thyroid gland have significantly poorer quality of life than those whose surgery does not permanently damage the neighboring parathyroid glands, a Danish study shows. Notably, hypoparathyroidism’s negative affect on life was independent of the drop in thyroid-related hormones (hypothyroidism) due…

An interruption in the supply of Natpara 100 micrograms (mcg) could begin as early as this week and last for about one year, Takeda Pharmaceuticals announced in an open letter to the Hypoparathyroidism Association and to the broader hypoparathyroidism patient and healthcare community. “As part of…

As anyone affected by a rare disease knows, treating the illness while trying to go about everyday life is an expensive undertaking.  But exactly how expensive — in terms of direct and indirect costs across rare disease populations — might still come as a surprise: almost…

A single dose of AZP-3601 — Amolyt Pharma’s experimental therapy for hypoparathyroidism — resulted in a significant, sustained increase in blood calcium levels for at least 24 hours in healthy volunteers, according to interim data from a Phase 1 trial. These early findings support the therapeutic potential of…

COVID-19 may lead to the deterioration of some medical conditions, such as hypoparathyroidism, that had been well controlled before the infection, a case report suggests. The study, “Decompensated primary hypoparathyroidism in a patient with COVID-19,” was published in the journal Annales d’Endocrinologie. Hypoparathyroidism is…

Aeterna Zentaris has entered into a licensing agreement with the University of Sheffield  to develop a potential therapy for adults with primary hypoparathyroidism, according to a recent press release. The treatment candidate is based on parathyroid hormone (PTH) fusion polypeptides — chains of amino acids, the building blocks…

Many diseases have their own awareness color — breast cancer is pink, muscular dystrophy is green, and AIDS is red, for example — but what’s the significance of pink, green, blue, and purple lights side-by-side? These are the colors most often used to represent Rare Disease Day. This…

Routine use of Forteo (teriparatide), a synthetic parathyroid hormone fragment, appears unlikely to effectively substitute for calcium and vitamin D supplements among people with chronic hypoparathyroidism, according to the results of a Phase 3 trial. The findings were published in a study, “Chronic hypoparathyroidism and…