RARECast: Raising Awareness in a Town with a History of a Rare Disease

Edgar Kline Jr.’s family can trace its involvement with a rare genetic disease back to the 1700s. In fact, Hagerstown, Maryland, where his family settled, has a higher incidence of hereditary ATTR amyloidosis because of this common ancestor some in the town share. The disease, which begins to manifest itself in middle age, can cause damage to the heart, nerves, and various organs. We spoke to Kline about the disease, the difficulty in getting an accurate diagnosis, and why he’s trying to raise awareness about it.

RARECast is a weekly series by Daniel S. Levine. Levine is an award-winning business journalist who has reported on the life sciences, economic development, and business policy issues throughout his 25-year career. He founded Levine Media Group in 2013, which produces The Bio Report and RARECast podcasts. Read his full bio here.