Medical experts call for society to foot super-high bills for treatment

Bills for the treatment of rare diseases, which amount to millions of yuan a year and are unaffordable for many, should be shouldered by society instead of the patients and their families, according to medical experts.

"Patients don't become sick because they have done something wrong, so they should not have to foot heavy bills to treat their illness, and society should avoid making treatment inaccessible," said Xiong Hui, a member of the standing committee of the rare disease branch of the Beijing Medical Association and deputy director of pediatrics at Peking University First Hospital.

Kevin Huang Rufang, founder and director of the Chinese Organization for Rare Disorders, said that although worldwide there are therapies for 6 percent of rare diseases, more than 90 percent of Chinese patients do not use them because of rocketing prices.