Orphan drugs are:-

* Orphan drugs are defined as the medicines which are unlikely to be developed by pharmaceutical industry due to economic reasons but which respond to public health needs. * Orphan drug is developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition (affecting fewer than 200,000 people), the condition itself being referred to as an orphan disease. Ex- deferiprone to treat iron overload in thalassemia patients, N-acetylcysteine to treat paracetamol poisoning etc. * Since the pharmaceutical companies will not like to develop such a drug due to lack of financial benefits, a separate law known as 'The Orphan Drug Act' was passed in 1983. The intent of the Orphan Drug Act is to stimulate the research, development, and approval of products that treat rare diseases. Few examples of the orphan drugs: Liposomal amphotericin B Digoxin antibody Fomepizole