39th Téléthon Raises €83.5 Million for Rare Genetic Disease Research in 2025

The 39th edition of the Téléthon concluded on December 6-7, 2025, raising €83.5 million in pledges to support rare genetic disease research across France, as reported by AFM-Téléthon. This sum marks an increase from the nearly €80 million pledged in 2024, though last year's total later surpassed €96.5 million. The event, broadcast live by France Télévisions over 30 hours, featured over 20,000 activities nationwide including fundraising calls, gaming marathons, and raffles.

Singer Santa, the event's ambassador, made a standout contribution of €99,999 at the launch. French firefighters also raised €1.3 million through social media campaigns. Seven-year-old Paulin, diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy—a rare genetic disease affecting 1 in 3,500 boys in France—was among the event's ambassadors, underscoring the struggle against diseases that often lack treatment.

AFM-Téléthon finances 40 clinical trials for 33 rare diseases, yet funding remains a challenge, with 95% of rare diseases lacking treatment or diagnosis. Laurence Tiennot-Herment highlighted the difficulty in attracting investment for ultra-rare diseases, which are frequently overlooked by pharmaceutical companies. Promising treatments include a gene therapy drug from Généthon, currently in the final phase of clinical trials in France and the UK. Advances in rare diseases research also hold potential benefits for more common conditions like cancer and heart failure.