2018 marks the 35th anniversary of the Orphan Drug Act (ODA) and of NORD. The ODA was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on January 4, 1983. Exactly four months later, NORD was formally established by the patient organization leaders who had provided advocacy for the ODA. The ODA provides critically important financial incentives to encourage development of treatments for rare diseases. Major events during the anniversary year will include NORD’s Rare Impact Awards in May and Rare Summit in October. Visit the NORD website often this year for information about those and other anniversary activities.