▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁or phan ▁drug ▁development ▁takes ▁several ▁forms : ▁ ▁Tax ▁in cent ives ▁ ▁Ex clus ivity ▁( en hanced ▁pat ent ▁protection ▁and ▁market ing ▁rights ) ▁ ▁Research ▁subs id ies ▁ ▁Creating ▁a ▁government - run ▁enter prise ▁to ▁eng age ▁in ▁research ▁and ▁development ▁as ▁in ▁a ▁Crown ▁corpor ation ▁ ▁A ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁study ▁of ▁" 3 4 ▁key ▁Canadian ▁st ake hold ers , ▁including ▁drug ▁regul ators , ▁fund ers , ▁scient ists , ▁policy ▁exper ts , ▁ph arma ce ut ical ▁industry ▁represent atives , ▁and ▁patient ▁advoc ates " ▁ ▁investig ated ▁factors ▁behind ▁the ▁ ▁ph arma ce ut ical ▁industry ▁growing ▁interest ▁in ▁" n iche ▁mark ets " ▁such ▁as ▁or phan ▁dru gs . ▁ ▁United ▁States ▁ ▁The ▁Or phan ▁D rug ▁Act ▁( O DA ) ▁of ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁passed ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁with ▁lo bb ying ▁from ▁the ▁National ▁Organ ization ▁for ▁R are ▁Dis orders ▁and ▁many ▁other ▁organizations , ▁is ▁meant ▁to ▁encou rage ▁ph arma ce ut ical ▁companies ▁to ▁develop ▁dru gs ▁for ▁dise ases ▁that ▁have ▁a ▁small ▁market . ▁Under ▁the ▁O DA ▁dru gs , ▁v acc ines , ▁and ▁di agnostic ▁agents ▁would ▁qual ify ▁for ▁or phan ▁status ▁if ▁they ▁were ▁intended ▁to ▁treat ▁a ▁disease ▁affect ing ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 2 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁American ▁citizens . ▁Under ▁the