Recognition is important in order to educate and counsel families with or at risk for hereditary disorders such as the various porphyrias. Definitive diagnosis is essential before new treatments can be assessed reliably. One needs to be sure of the type of porphyria they have in order to have the correct intervention or preventive treatment. Insights into treating various types of porphyrias diseases will likely result from understanding of 'accidents of nature'. It will be a long road before there will beeffective cures for the various types of porphyria.
Gene therapy looks promising but is decades away.
Meanwhile it is advisable for porphyriapatients to research everything that is available, avoid triggers, and use effectively the limited intervention and preventive therapies available.