Agadir – Morocco celebrated International Rare Disease Day with the launch of a new Precision Medicine Hub at the Mohammed VI International University Hospital Complex on Friday in Rabat, a joint project by Fondation Mohammed VI des Sciences et de la Santé (FM6SS) and AstraZeneca.
The Hub aims to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and care coordination for patients living with rare diseases while expanding access to advanced medicine technologies.
The event brought together institutional representatives and civil society members, including the Moroccan Society of Medical Genetics and the Moroccan Alliance for Rare Diseases.
This gathering followed the Memorandum of Understanding signed in July 2025 between FM6SS and AstraZeneca to establish a Rare Diseases Center of Excellence (RD CoE).
The two institutions joined forces to shorten diagnostic delays, create structured multidisciplinary care pathways, and incorporate genomic and molecular profiling into routine clinical practice.
Rare diseases affect thousands of Moroccans, yet patients often face prolonged diagnostic processes, limited access to specialized testing, and fragmented care.
The Precision Medicine Hub addresses these challenges by providing a coordinated national framework that integrates advanced diagnostics with multidisciplinary care networks.
During the launch, clinicians, patient representatives, and public decision-makers discussed current gaps in rare disease management and outlined practical solutions to improve patient outcomes.
By positioning FM6SS as a national referral center, the initiative seeks to standardize care pathways, implement patient registries, generate real-world data, and strengthen the skills of healthcare professionals.
Promoting integrated care
“Following the memorandum of understanding signed in July 2025 with FM6SS, the opening of the Precision Medicine Hub represents a concrete step toward our shared vision of a national Center of Excellence dedicated to rare diseases,” Amine Sekhri, Director of AstraZeneca in Morocco, said in a press statement.
“We are committed to contributing to the reduction of diagnostic delays, expanding access to advanced genomic testing, and promoting integrated care models that generate measurable improvements for patients and their families across Morocco.”
For his part, Director General of the Mohammed VI Center for Research and Innovation under FM6SS, Saber Boutayeb said that “with the opening of the Precision Medicine Hub, FM6SS is delivering on the promise of precision medicine for patients living with rare diseases.”
The launch also highlighted patient engagement as a central component of rare disease care. A symbolic “Wall of Handprints” and a dedicated awareness area showcased patient experiences and emphasized the importance of early diagnosis and coordinated treatment.
The initiative reflects a broader partnership, bringing together public institutions, healthcare professionals, industry stakeholders, and patient communities to fill longstanding gaps in rare disease care in Morocco.