February 28th, 2026, marks Rare Disease Day. A Global call to action for the 300 million people globally living with a rare disease. At World Medical Card, we believe everyone should have access to medical treatment and are working to address some of the communication challenges.
Rare Disease Day is a movement coordinated by EURORDIS-Rare Diseases Europe. The campaign ensures that rare diseases remain a global priority, mobilising patient communities, researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and industry leaders.
Rare diseases may seem distant, but they are more prevalent than commonly perceived. According to Rare Disease Day, “5% of the global population is affected at some point in their lifetime. These conditions impact families, workplaces, and entire communities, bringing complex medical, social, and economic challenges.”
Key issues include:
- Delayed Diagnoses: Patients often wait 4 years or more for an accurate diagnosis, enduring uncertainty and missing treatment opportunities.
- Limited Treatment Options: Over 95% of rare diseases lack approved therapies, leaving patients with few medical solutions.
- Social and Economic Barriers: Families often face educational, employment, and financial difficulties due to care responsibilities that disrupt daily life.
- Healthcare Access Inequalities: In many regions, rare disease patients encounter barriers to accessing specialised care, particularly in underserved communities.
We want to help raise awareness of this vulnerable population, which is in urgent need of attention. By spreading the word, we’re calling on policymakers and shining a light on people living with a rare diseases; we aim to collectively change and improve the lives of 300 million people worldwide.
For anyone with a rare disease, life can be challenging, and we hope that membership in World Medical Card can help them and their families document and translate their unique circumstances on our physical medical ID card and comprehensive digital health profile on our app.
At its core, the WMC is a personal identification system for health purposes. Members create a detailed profile of their medical information, which can include medications and prescriptions, allergies, diagnoses, surgeries and implants, vaccination records, donor status, multiple emergency contacts, including loved ones, travel partners, and anyone else who may need to know your medical information in case of an emergency, insurance details, X-rays or hospital records. The user-generated data ensures that medical professionals and first responders can quickly access information to provide accurate, timely treatment in emergencies worldwide.
Dr Ivar Risnes, PhD. From Oslo University Hospital in Norway, explains, "The World Medical Card provides immediate, standardised insight into a patient’s most important health details — diagnoses, medications, allergies, and emergency contacts. This information can be the difference between correct and incorrect treatment whenever seconds count.”
You can learn more about our 2-in-1 solution, which helps medical professionals access your vital information when needed, including in emergencies worldwide, HERE.
