Autoimmune diseases are a family of more than 100 ill-
nesses that develop when underlying defects in the immune
system lead the body to attack its own organs, tissues, and
cells. While many of these diseases are rare, collectively
they affect, according to the Autoimmune Diseases Coor-
dinating Committee (ADCC) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, between 14.7 and 23.5 million people in the
USA – up to 8% of the population – and their prevalence is
rising. Because a complete cure is not available for nearly
every one of these 100 autoimmune diseases, patients face a
lifetime of illness and treatment. And, because most of
these diseases disproportionately afflict women, and are
among the leading causes of death for young and middle-
aged women, they impose a heavy burden on patients’
families and on society.
For these reasons, major efforts in autoimmune disease
research and development must be directed toward redu-
cing the impact of these conditions. These efforts should
include, among other goals and again according to the
ADCC, the generation of more accurate epidemiologic
profiles of autoimmune diseases, the development of a
greater understanding of the fundamental biologic principles underlying disease onset and progression, the provision of improved diagnostic tools to permit preclinical or
presymptomatic diagnosis, the creation of more effective
interventions, and the production of public and professional education and training programs.
Download here: Diagnostic Criteria in Autoimmune Disease
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