About RAIRDA

Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Alliance (RAIRDA) is a forum established to bring together clinical and patient organisations and other key stakeholders in order to improve care for people living with rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

In June 2016, LUPUS UK; Scleroderma & Raynaud’s UK (SRUK); Vasculitis UK and the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) came together to establish the Rare Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Alliance (RAIRDA), as an umbrella body for organisations with an interest in rare autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In 2017, the British Sjögren’s Syndrome Association (BSSA) became an affiliate member, joining as a full member in 2018 and Behçet’s Syndrome Society joining recently as an affiliate member.

RAIRDA enables a united dialogue on areas of commonality (e.g. symptoms, treatments, diagnostic pathways, unmet needs and challenges) whilst at the same time enabling specific condition-related outputs. This alliance formally brings together for the first time, a dedicated body linking both clinical and patient organisations, and other key stakeholders, to improve care for people living with these conditions. We exist to provide a single, strong voice that will raise the profile of this group of conditions, influence policy and guide future research.