Rare diseases and orphan drugs : keys to understanding and treating the common diseases / Jules J. Berman, Ph.D., M.D.

London : Academic Press, [2014]

xix, 380 pages, 13 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 24 cm

Includes bibliographical references and index.

What are the rare diseases, and why do we care? -- What are the common diseases? -- Six observations to ponder while reading this book -- Aging -- Diseases of the heart and vessels -- Infectious diseases and immune deficiencies -- Diseases of immunity -- Cancer -- Causation and the limits of modern genetics -- Pathogenesis: causation's shadow -- Rare diseases and common diseases: understanding their fundamental differences -- Rare diseases and common diseases: understanding their relationships -- Shared benefits -- Conclusion -- Appendixes: I. List of genes causing more than one disease -- II. Rules, some of which are always true, and all of which are sometimes true.