February is Rare Liver Diseases Month, bringing international attention to rare liver conditions and supporting discussions on health policy, education and advocacy. Through their annual #RareAware campaign, the Global Liver Institute (GLI) aims to address the urgent need for early diagnosis and access to care for patients with rare liver disease worldwide.
More than 100 rare liver diseases exist, yet many remain poorly recognized, leaving patients facing prolonged diagnostic uncertainty and limited access to appropriate expertise. On average it takes over 6 years and nearly 17 medical visits before a rare disease diagnosis, following the development of symptoms. Greater awareness and understanding of rare liver diseases empowers patients and families to make informed decisions about their care, ask the right questions, and confidently advocate for the support and resources they need throughout their health journey.
This year, the campaign carries a unifying theme: “Early Detection Drives Direction.” GLI is spotlighting overlooked signs, symptoms, and living experiences to improve the early detection of rare liver diseases. Talking on this year’s theme, Larry R. Holden (President and CEO of Global Liver Institute) said:
“Every patient deserves answers sooner… Early detection requires more than awareness; it requires health systems, policymakers, and communities to work together so that once a symptom is noticed, patients receive timely care, testing, and referrals. Bridging these gaps, we give hope and support to patients worldwide.”
Alongside this central theme, Rare Liver Diseases Month emphasizes the broader challenges patients continue to face. Many rare liver diseases remain difficult to recognize, leading to delays in diagnosis and inconsistent access to expertise. Furthermore, less than 5% of rare liver diseases have approved therapies, highlighting the need for further research.
The #RareAware campaign works to address these issues by promoting education, advancing equitable access to diagnostics and care, and amplifying patient and caregiver voices. Throughout February, GLI encourages clinicians, researchers, health leaders and advocacy partners to join in raising awareness, sharing knowledge and supporting initiatives that strengthen the rare liver disease community.
Rare Liver Diseases Month serves as a global call to action: to improve recognition, reduce disparities, accelerate scientific progress and ensure that individuals and families affected by rare liver diseases receive the support, resources and care they need.
For more information and campaign resources, visit the Global Liver Institute rare aware campaign.
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Cite: #RareAware campaign: Elevating global awareness and early detection of rare liver diseases. touchIMMUNOLOGY. 25 February 2026.
Editor: Victoria Smith, Senior Content Editor.
Disclosures: This article was created by the touchIMMUNOLOGY team utilizing AI as an editorial tool (ChatGPT (GPT-4o) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat.) The content was developed and edited by human editors. No funding was received in the publication of this article.
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