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* This condition is not a rare disease. It is a condition about which the GARD Information Center has received a question.

Porphyria *
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The porphyrias are a group of genetic disorders caused by problems with how the body makes heme, an important molecule that carries oxygen throughout the body and is vital for all of the body’s organs. Major types include ALAD deficiency porphyria, acute intermittent porphyria, congenital erythropoietic porphyria, erythropoietic protoporphyria, hepatoerythropoietic porphyria, hereditary coproporphyria, porphyria cutanea tarda, and variegate porphyria. Porphyria can also be caused by infections or exposure to certain prescription drugs. This type of porphyria is called sporadic or acquired porphyria.[1][2]

References
  1. Dugdale DC, Chen YB. Porphyria. MedlinePlus. 2009 Available at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/porphyria.html. Accessed July 24, 2009.
  2. Porphyria. Genetic Home Reference. 2009 Available at: http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition=porphyria. Accessed July 24, 2009.

Questions & Answers (Found 2 Questions)
A list of questions from the public on rare and/or genetic diseases that have been answered by the Genetic and Rare Disease Information Center. Click on each question to find the answer.
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For more information about Porphyria click on the boxes below:
More Detailed Information NLM Gateway Services Support Groups Clinical Trials & Research
 
More Detailed Information (Found 10 resources)
Links where you can find more general information, comprehensive resources, selected full text journal articles, and news updates

  • General

    • eMedicine provides information on this topic. Click on the link to view this information. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free
    • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains a condition summary on Porphyria. Click on the link to go to GHR and review this summary.
    • MayoClinic.com provides information about porphyria. Click on the link to access this information.
    • MedlinePlus, a Web site designed by the National Library of Medicine Web site to help you research your health questions, provides more information about this topic. Click on the link to view this information.
    • The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) was established in 1988 as a national resource for molecular biology information.  Click on the link to view information on this topic.
    • The National Human Genome Research Institute's (NHGRI) mission encompasses a broad range of studies aimed at understanding the structure and function of the human genome and its role in health and disease. Click on the link to view the information page on this topic.
    • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) is a federation of more than 130 nonprofit voluntary health organizations serving people with rare disorders. Click on the link to view information on this topic.
    • The Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database contains genetics resources that discuss Porphyria. Click on the link to go to OMIM and review these resources.
    • Orphanet is a database dedicated to information on rare diseases and orphan drugs.  Access to this database is free of charge.  Click on the link to read information on this topic.
    • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Porphyria. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.
 
NLM Gateway (Found 1 resource)
A tool to search across multiple resources offered on the National Library of Medicine's Website

    • NLM Gateway allows users to search many resources offered on the National Library of Medicine's Web site at once to quickly find more information about this condition. Some of the resources may be a duplicate of the resources listed on this page. To search NLM Gateway, click on the link; the condition name will already be in the search box, so you can just click the “Search” button.
 
Services (Found 1 resource)
Links to Web sites that offer services, such as tools to locate specialists, specialty clinics, genetic services, and genetic testing laboratories

  • Testing

    • GeneTests lists laboratories offering clinical genetic testing for this condition. Clinical genetic tests are ordered to help diagnose a person or family and to aid in decisions regarding medical care or reproductive issues. Talk to your health care provider or a genetic professional to learn more about your testing options.
 Umbrella Organizations | Disease-Specific Organizations | Live Chat/E-mail Lists | Parent Matching Organizations
Support Groups (Found 7 resources)
Groups providing a wide range of services, supportive resources, and information

  • Umbrella Organizations

  • Disease-Specific Organizations

  • Live Chat/E-mail Lists

    • The National Organization of Rare Disorders (NORD) has partnered with Inspire.com to launch an online community for people with rare diseases called The NORD Rare Disease Community. This community connects medical patients, family members, caregivers, and professionals. Click on The NORD Rare Disease Community to learn more.
    • RareShare is an online social hub dedicated to patients, families and healthcare professionals affected by rare medical disorders. Click on RareShare to learn more.
  • Parent Matching Organizations

 
Clinical Trials & Research (Found 2 resources)
Resources where you may find research studies and clinical trials

    • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are studying or have studied Porphyria. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.
    • The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC), part of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), offers information on this condition. Click on the link to view information on this topic.

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